Applying for VA Healthcare Benefits
The Department of Veterans Affairs offers education benefits and disability compensation for qualifying veterans. It also provides a range of healthcare treatment benefits and services for veterans and qualifying family members.
Healthcare is provided to all qualifying veterans, but some benefits, like dental care, have additional eligibility requirements. The full scope of VA benefits may depend on your assigned priority group, recommendations from a doctor, and needs based on the specific condition the patient is dealing with.
If you are a veteran who has not entered the VA system yet or a service member getting ready to transition into civilian life, the information below can help you decide which VA care options are right for you.
Read next: Where to Apply for VA Disability Benefits
Who Qualifies for VA Healthcare?
The Department of Veterans Affairs offers VA healthcare to all vets “who meet basic service and discharge requirements and who were exposed to toxins and other hazards while serving our country—at home or abroad,” including all who served in the Vietnam War, Gulf War, Iraq, Afghanistan, or other combat zones after 9/11.
VA.gov adds, “You may be eligible for VA health care benefits if you served in the active military, naval, or air service and didn’t receive a dishonorable discharge.”
Your eligibility for these benefits may depend on your service era and the nature of your military service. When in doubt, fill out an application and let the VA decide whether you qualify or not.
Features of VA Health Care
VA healthcare options include preventive care:
- Routine health exams,
- Gender-specific exams
- Health education
- Nutrition counseling
- Immunizations
- Genetic counseling
VA healthcare also features inpatient care for:
- Surgeries
- Medical treatments
- Kidney dialysis
- Short-term acute care
- Post-surgery recovery
- Specialized care, including organ transplants, intensive care, and trauma care
- Surgical specialty services
VA healthcare options for urgent care and emergency medical treatment include:
- Urgent or emergency care at VA health facilities
- Urgent care for non-life-threatening illnesses or injuries at VA-approved walk-in clinics or urgent care facilities. This is open to those enrolled in VA health care who have received care within the past 24 months.
- Emergency care in non-VA hospitals or clinics may be covered under specific conditions, particularly for service-connected conditions.
Other options include mental health services, prescriptions, assisted living, home health care, and caregiver support.
Excluded Medical Services
Some VA healthcare services are generally not offered:
- Cosmetic surgery, unless medically necessary
- Health clubs
- Spa memberships
- Non-FDA-approved medicines and devices
- Care provided by non-VA government agencies
Prescription Coverage
The VA can fill prescriptions from non-VA community providers if the patient meets VA requirements, including being enrolled in VA health care, having a VA primary care provider, and obtaining an agreement from their VA provider.
Read next: Where to Apply for VA Disability Benefits
Costs and Financial Assessments
Out-of-pocket costs for VA health care depend on income level, disability rating, and service history.
Most vets take a financial assessment during enrollment to determine eligibility for free care. VA.gov reminds applicants, “Some Veterans are eligible for free care for non-service-connected conditions based on their VA disability rating, pension payments, or other factors (like receiving the Medal of Honor).”
However, for veterans who are not eligible for free care based on the factors above, income and financial need may be a qualifying factor.
VA.gov benefit applications ask you “for information about your household’s income as part of the enrollment process.” The VA also requests “to keep your income information up to date after you enroll.”
Why?” Because in cases where your household income “falls below our current income limits for where you live, you may be eligible for free or reduced-cost care” according to the official site.
What to Gather Before You Apply
- Social Security numbers for yourself and all dependents and spouse.
- Your military discharge papers
- Military service history information
- Details about duty-related exposure to any toxins or other hazards.
- Insurance card information for all insurance companies you are covered by
- Gross household income from the previous calendar year for you, your spouse, and your dependents.
- Your deductible expenses for the past year.
How to Apply for VA Healthcare
If you are transitioning out of the military, call the VA at 877-222-8387 to get started or fill out a benefits application at the VA official site.
VA Resources
- Questions: Contact the VA at 877-222-8387
- Online Services: Manage healthcare and other benefits online, including prescription refills and secure messaging.
- Indian Health Service Facilities: VA.gov offers services to American Indian/Alaska Native veterans for medical care at these facilities “without preauthorization or copays.”
Read next: Where to Apply for VA Disability Benefits
About the author
Editor-in-Chief Joe Wallace is a 13-year veteran of the United States Air Force and a former reporter/editor for Air Force Television News and the Pentagon Channel. His freelance work includes contract work for Motorola, VALoans.com, and Credit Karma. He is co-founder of Dim Art House in Springfield, Illinois, and spends his non-writing time as an abstract painter, independent publisher, and occasional filmmaker.
