VA Health Care: Building Hospital in Florida More Cost-Effective Than Buying One in Mobile

In response to a congressional request, GAO evaluated whether it would be more cost-effective for the Veterans Administration (VA) to build a new hospital in the Florida Panhandle, buy and renovate a hospital in Mobile, Alabama, or do both. GAO considered such factors as: (1) veterans' access to the facilities; (2) the amount of projected inpatient work load that would shift from existing VA hospitals to the new facility; and (3) cost.