VA Priority Groups — VA Health Care Priority Groups
VA Priority Groups (1 to 8) decide how fast you get VA health care and how much you pay in copays. Higher disability ratings move you to a better group.
Official source: va.gov
When you enroll in VA health care, the VA places you in one of eight priority groups. Group 1 is highest priority and Group 8 is lowest. Your group decides how quickly you get care, how much (if anything) you pay in copays, and in some cases whether you can enroll at all. Getting a higher disability rating can move you to a better group and lower or eliminate your out-of-pocket costs.
Group 1 covers veterans rated 50% or higher, anyone approved for TDIU, and Medal of Honor recipients, with no copays. Group 2 is for ratings of 30% or 40% with no copays. Group 3 includes ratings of 10% or 20%, Purple Heart or Medal of Honor recipients, former prisoners of war, and veterans discharged because of a service-connected disability, also with no copays. Group 4 covers veterans whose disability the VA has determined is catastrophic, with no copays.
Group 5 is for veterans without a compensable service-connected rating whose household income is below the VA hardship threshold, plus veterans receiving VA pension, with reduced copays. Group 6 includes 0% service-connected veterans, certain hazardous-exposure veterans, and post-9/11 combat veterans within 10 years of discharge, with no copays for service-connected conditions. Groups 7 and 8 are for veterans with income above the thresholds, with standard copays.
The takeaway is simple: raising your disability rating, even from 0% to 10%, can move you up a group, lower your copays, and save you real money on VA health care every year. If you have not enrolled, do it now: enrollment in any group locks in your eligibility even if Congress later limits new sign-ups.
In real life
- A veteran whose rating increases from 20% (Group 3) to 50% (Group 1) drops every VA copay to zero.
Also known as
Frequently asked questions about VA Priority Groups
What is a VA Priority Group?+
It is the category (1 through 8) that the VA assigns to every enrolled veteran. It controls how quickly you can be seen, what services you are eligible for, and whether you pay copays for care or medication.
How do I get into Priority Group 1?+
You qualify for Group 1 if your service-connected disability rating is 50% or higher, you are approved for TDIU, or you received the Medal of Honor. Group 1 veterans pay no VA copays.
Will increasing my VA disability rating change my Priority Group?+
Yes. Each step up in rating can move you to a higher Priority Group, lower your copays, and expand the services you can get from VA without out-of-pocket cost.
Can I be denied VA health care enrollment?+
In recent years Group 8 enrollment has sometimes been limited by congressional budget decisions. Veterans in Groups 1 through 7 generally remain eligible, so enroll as soon as you qualify to lock in your spot.
Does VA health care eligibility expire?+
No. Once you are enrolled in any Priority Group you stay enrolled, even if eligibility rules later change for new applicants. That is one reason to apply early.
Source: va.gov