How to Enroll in VA Health Care: Eligibility, Priority Groups, and Costs

Last updated: September 2026

A lot of veterans never enroll in VA health care. Some assume they don't qualify, some think it's only for veterans with a disability rating, and some already have insurance through work and don't see the point. I encourage almost every veteran I work with to at least apply. Enrollment is free, the application usually gets a decision in less than a week, and it keeps a door open for care you might need later.

This guide covers who qualifies, how priority groups work, what VA health care costs, how to apply, and what to do once you're enrolled.

Who Qualifies for VA Health Care

According to VA's eligibility page, you may qualify if you served in the active military, naval, or air service and didn't receive a dishonorable discharge. There are also minimum service rules. If you enlisted after September 7, 1980, or entered active duty after October 16, 1981, you generally must have served 24 continuous months or the full period you were called to active duty. That rule doesn't apply if you were discharged for a service-connected disability, discharged for a hardship or "early out," or served before September 7, 1980.

National Guard and Reserve members must have been called to active duty by a federal order and completed the full period of that call-up. Active duty for training alone doesn't qualify you.

Toxic exposure opened the door for millions more veterans. Because of the PACT Act, every veteran who meets the basic service and discharge rules and was exposed to toxins or other hazards during service is now eligible for VA health care. That includes everyone who served in the Vietnam War, the Gulf War, Iraq, Afghanistan, or any other combat zone after 9/11. It also covers exposures during training, like working with chemicals, pesticides, lead, asbestos, or certain paints, even if you never deployed. You don't need a disability rating to enroll this way.

Recent combat veterans get extra time. If you served in a theater of combat operations after November 11, 1998, and were discharged on or after October 1, 2013, you get 10 years of enhanced eligibility from your discharge date. During that time, you'll be placed in priority group 6, and care for conditions possibly related to your combat service is free. The old version of this post said five years, but Congress extended it to 10.

If your discharge was other than honorable, you may not be eligible for full VA health care. You have two ways to try to qualify: apply for a discharge upgrade, or ask VA for a Character of Discharge review. Even without full eligibility, you may still get care for PTSD, other mental health conditions, and conditions linked to military sexual trauma.

If none of these fit you, you may still qualify based on your income. And having other health insurance never affects whether you can enroll.

How Priority Groups Work

Once you're enrolled, VA assigns you to one of eight priority groups. Your group is mostly about cost, meaning whether and how much you pay for care. VA bases it on your service history, disability rating, income, Medicaid eligibility, and any other VA benefits you receive. If you qualify for more than one group, VA puts you in the highest one.

Here's a simplified version of how VA sorts veterans:

Priority Group	Who Is Usually Placed Here
1	Service-connected rating of 50% or higher; individual unemployability (TDIU); Medal of Honor
2	Service-connected rating of 30% or 40%
3	Rating of 10% or 20%; former POWs; Purple Heart recipients; discharged for a disability caused or worsened by service
4	Receiving Aid and Attendance or Housebound benefits; catastrophically disabled
5	Income below VA's limits (with no rating or a 0% rating); receiving VA pension; eligible for Medicaid
6	Toxic exposure veterans (PACT Act, Agent Orange, Camp Lejeune, radiation, Gulf War); recent combat veterans in their 10-year window; WWII veterans
7	Income below the limit for where you live, and you agree to pay copays
8	Income above VA's limits, and you agree to pay copays (some subgroups can't enroll)

A few details are worth knowing. VA's income limits change every year and are adjusted for where you live, so a veteran in Seattle and a veteran in rural Montana can have different cutoffs. Priority group 8 is the only group where enrollment can be limited. Some higher-income veterans with no service-connected conditions don't qualify unless they enrolled years ago or their income is close to the limit. And your group can change. If your rating goes up or your income drops, update VA so you land in the right group.

The original version of this post said lower priority groups face longer wait times for appointments. That's not how it works. Your group mainly affects your costs. Wait times depend on your local VA facility and the type of care you need.

What VA Health Care Costs

VA health care has no premiums, no enrollment fees, and no deductibles. Many veterans pay nothing at all. Veterans with a service-connected rating of 10% or higher don't pay copays for outpatient or inpatient care. Care for any service-connected condition is free, no matter your rating.

If you do owe copays, here are the main 2026 rates, effective January 1, 2026:

Type of Care	Copay
Primary care visit	$15
Specialty care visit or specialty test (like an MRI)	$50
Urgent care, priority groups 1–5	$0 for the first 3 visits each year, then $30
Urgent care, priority groups 7–8	$30 per visit
Medications, 30-day supply (non-service-connected)	$5 (tier 1), $8 (tier 2), $11 (tier 3)
Yearly medication copay cap	$700
X-rays, lab tests, screenings, and vaccines	$0

Priority group 6 veterans pay $0 for the first three urgent care visits for conditions covered by a special authority, like combat service, toxic exposures, or military sexual trauma. Other urgent care visits cost $30.

Priority group 1 veterans pay nothing for medications. Veterans in groups 2 through 8 may pay medication copays for conditions that aren't service-connected. Once your medication copays reach $700 in a calendar year, you won't pay any more for medications that year. There isn't a general yearly cap on other copays, which is a correction from the old version of this post.

Some services are always free, no matter your group. These include readjustment counseling and related mental health services, care related to military sexual trauma, C&P exams, lab tests, and care for any service-connected disability.

If copays would cause real financial hardship, VA offers financial hardship assistance that can reduce or waive what you owe. If you have private insurance, VA may bill it for care that isn't related to your service. That can lower what you owe. VA generally doesn't bill Medicare.

What You'll Need Before You Apply

Gather this information before you start VA Form 10-10EZ:

• Social Security numbers for you, your spouse, and any dependents you're claiming. You don't need the physical cards.

• Your DD-214 or other separation papers, plus details about your service history and any toxic exposures.

• Insurance information for every plan that covers you, including Medicare, employer coverage, or coverage through a spouse.

• Last year's gross household income for you, your spouse, and your dependents. Gross income means income before taxes.

• Deductible expenses from the past year, like certain health care and education costs.

You may not have to share income at all. VA says you don't have to report your income and expenses when you apply, but if you don't qualify another way, VA will need that information to make a decision. If you're eligible through a disability rating or toxic exposure, you can often skip the financial section. Reporting income can still help, though. If you have a rating of 40% or less and your income is low enough, it may qualify you for free medications.

How to Apply

The fastest way to apply is online at VA.gov. You can save your progress and come back later. You have a few other options:

By phone: Call 877-222-8387, Monday through Friday, 8:00 a.m. to 8:00 p.m. ET. A VA representative will help you complete the application.

By mail: Fill out a paper 10-10EZ, sign and date it, and mail it to Health Eligibility Center, PO Box 5207, Janesville, WI 53547-5207. The old version of this post said to mail it to your regional VA office, which isn't correct.

In person: Bring a signed 10-10EZ to your nearest VA medical center or clinic. Many state veterans agencies can help too.

With help: A VSO or other accredited representative can help you apply at no cost.

According to VA's application page, most decisions come in less than a week. If more than a week has passed and you haven't heard back, don't apply again. Call the number above instead.

If you're still in the military, you can apply while you have your separation or retirement orders. For combat veterans, applying early is especially smart, since your 10-year window starts on your discharge date.

What VA Health Care Covers

Enrolled veterans get a full range of medical care. That includes primary care, specialty care, hospital stays, surgery, prescriptions, mental health care, women's health care, and preventive care like screenings and vaccines. You'll be assigned a primary care team that coordinates your care and refers you to specialists.

Mental health care is one of VA's strengths. VA offers therapy, psychiatry, PTSD programs, substance use treatment, and care for military sexual trauma. If you're in a mental health crisis, you can get free emergency care at a VA or community emergency room, even if you aren't enrolled. You can also reach the Veterans Crisis Line anytime by dialing 988 and pressing 1.

Dental care is limited. You may qualify if you have a service-connected dental condition, a 100% rating, or another special circumstance. Enrolled veterans who don't qualify can buy reduced-cost coverage through the VA Dental Insurance Program (VADIP).

Vision care includes routine eye exams and preventive tests for all enrolled veterans. Glasses and low-vision services are available in certain cases.

Emergency care at a non-VA hospital may be covered, but timing matters. If you're admitted to a non-VA emergency room, you or someone on your behalf should notify VA within 72 hours. Always call 911 or go to the nearest emergency room in a true emergency.

Urgent care is available through VA's network of community urgent care clinics without a referral. You must be enrolled and have received VA care within the past 24 months.

Toxic exposure screenings are available to every enrolled veteran. It's a short set of questions about possible exposures during service, and it's worth doing even if you feel fine.

Community Care: Seeing Doctors Outside VA

Sometimes VA can't provide the care you need close to home or soon enough. When that happens, you may qualify for community care, where VA pays for you to see a provider in your area.

The access standards are clear. For primary care and mental health care, you may qualify if VA can't get you in within 20 days or if the average drive to your nearest VA facility is more than 30 minutes. For specialty care, the standards are 28 days and 60 minutes. You may also qualify if you and your VA provider agree that community care is in your best medical interest, or if VA doesn't offer the service you need.

You'll usually need a referral from your VA care team first. If you think you qualify, ask your provider directly. VA is replacing the contracts for its community care network in 2026, but the eligibility rules and access standards haven't changed.

After You Enroll

Once you're approved, VA will contact you to schedule your first appointment. Your first visit is usually a longer checkup where your new care team reviews your health history, your service history, and any concerns you have.

Next, set up your online access. Depending on your facility, VA.gov will direct you to My HealtheVet or My VA Health. From there, you can message your care team, refill prescriptions, schedule some appointments, and download your records. Those records can also be strong evidence if you ever file a claim. My post on gathering medical evidence for your VA claim explains how to use them. The free VA: Health and Benefits app lets you do many of these things from your phone.

Ask about a Veteran Health Identification Card, which you can use to check in at appointments. Most prescriptions can be mailed to your home, which saves trips to the pharmacy.

Don't skip travel pay. You may qualify for travel reimbursement if you have a service-connected rating of 30% or higher, you're traveling for care for a service-connected condition, you receive a VA pension, or your income is below VA's limit. The 2026 rate is 41.5 cents per mile. A small deductible of $3 each way applies, but it tops out at $18 per month. File within 30 days of each appointment on VA.gov, in the VA: Health and Benefits app, or through BTSSS.

Finally, keep your information current. If your income, insurance, address, or family changes, update it with VA Form 10-10EZR. And if your disability rating changes, VA should move you to a new priority group. Check that it does.

Conclusion

Enrolling in VA healthcare is one of the most important steps you can take as a veteran. Even if you have insurance through work, enrolling in VA health care gives you a backup, access to care designed for veterans, and a record of your health that can support future claims. The application takes most people less than an hour, and a decision usually comes within a week.

Looking for the right kind of support? Finding care that fits you can take some trial and error, and asking for help is a strong first step. Schedule a free consultation to talk through your options.