VA Health Care Priority Groups
When you enroll in VA health care, you're assigned to one of 8 Priority Groups. Group determines what care is free, what has copays, and your access to specialty services. The VA uses your service-connected rating, military history, and household income to assign you.
Priority Group Estimator
Answer what you know. Skip what you don't. The estimator updates as you go.
Do you have any VA service-connected disability rating?
Are you a former Prisoner of War (POW)?
Are you a Purple Heart recipient?
Are you a Medal of Honor recipient?
Did you serve in a combat zone after 9/11/2001 and separate within the past 5 years?
Has the VA classified you as catastrophically disabled?
Did you have Agent Orange exposure (Vietnam-era)?
Did you serve at Camp Lejeune between 1953-1987 (30+ days)?
Did you have toxic exposure covered by the PACT Act (burn pits, etc.)?
Are you currently experiencing homelessness or housing instability?
Is your household income below the VA Means Test threshold?
Are you eligible for Medicaid?
This is an unofficial estimate. The VA assigns your actual Priority Group when you apply at va.gov/health-care/apply based on the full set of factors including income geography.
Reference: all 8 groups
Veterans with 50%+ SC disability OR rated TDIU/IU
Veterans with 30-40% SC disability
Veterans with 10-20% SC, POW, Purple Heart, MOH, catastrophic disability, or post-discharge presumptive injury
Veterans receiving Aid & Attendance, Housebound, or with catastrophic disability classification
Non-SC veterans with low income (below means test), Medicaid-eligible, or experiencing homelessness
PACT Act toxic-exposure veterans, Agent Orange / Camp Lejeune presumptives, post-9/11 combat vets within 5 years of separation, MST survivors
Non-SC veterans with income above means test but below geographic-adjusted threshold
Non-SC veterans with income above geographic-adjusted threshold
PACT Act expanded enrollment
The PACT Act of 2022 made veterans exposed to burn pits or other toxic substances eligible for VA health care without first establishing service connection. If you served in:
- Iraq, Afghanistan, Syria, Djibouti, Egypt, Jordan, Lebanon, or Yemen post-2001
- The Gulf War (1990-1991), including Bahrain, Kuwait, Oman, Qatar, Saudi Arabia, UAE
- Vietnam, Thailand, Laos, Cambodia, or Guam (Agent Orange-era)
you can enroll in VA health care immediately as Priority Group 6 — no disability claim required first. Apply at va.gov/health-care/apply.
How to apply
- Online: VA Form 10-10EZ at va.gov (fastest)
- Phone: 1-877-222-VETS (8387)
- In person: Any VA medical facility — bring DD-214 and proof of income
- By mail: Mail completed Form 10-10EZ to the Health Eligibility Center, 2957 Clairmont Rd, Suite 200, Atlanta, GA 30329