VA: No further staff punishment for Denver hospital overruns

The VA says it has no plans to punish any other employees over massive cost overruns at a veterans medical center under construction outside Denver.

The Veterans Affairs Department announced the long-awaited results of an internal review on Tuesday. A separate investigation by the VA’s inspector general is still underway.

The hospital in suburban Aurora is expected to cost $1.7 billion, nearly three times the amount estimated in 2014.

Previously, three VA employees were reassigned or demoted over the problems. A fourth retired one day after he was questioned.

Investigators have blamed the overruns on multiple design changes and a decision by VA officials to use a complicated contract process they didn’t fully understand.

Tuesday’s announcement angered members of Congress, who have demanded that responsible workers be fired or disciplined.