Veterans Affairs has decided not to consolidate its four Boston area hospitals into one medical center. A recently completed two-year study convinced officials not to centralize the Boston area VA medical services. Instead, officials will look at other options, which include transferring some services from the VA’s Bedford location to its Brockton facility and merging services at either its Jamaica Plains or West Roxbury sites. The VA had planned to close numerous older hospitals, opting to create more community clinics as part of a 20-year plan to revamp the massive health care operation. The plan was not well received among many veterans.
With key members of Congress wavering on the possibility of a $350 billion defense reconciliation bill, defense experts told Air & Space Forces Magazine that the Pentagon is likely drawing up budget backup plans—but such plans would face hard choices between high-end weapons and low-cost drones and other programs in…