VA health care enrollment is the single step that unlocks everything else the VA can do for an older veteran, from primary care to nursing home coverage. Once a veteran enrolls, the VA assigns a priority group from 1 to 8, and that group shapes how quickly care comes and what, if anything, it costs. The system isn't hard to navigate once you understand it. Most families just never get the explanation.
This guide walks through who can enroll, what the eight VA health care priority groups mean, what you'll pay in each one, how to apply, and why enrollment matters so much for long-term care down the road.
In This Guide
- Key Takeaways
- Who Can Enroll in VA Health Care
- The Eight Priority Groups
- What You'll Pay (Copays by Group)
- How to Apply
- Why Enrollment Matters for Long-Term Care
- Frequently Asked Questions
- Learn More
Who Can Enroll in VA Health Care
To enroll in VA health care, a veteran must have served in the active military, naval, or air service and not received a dishonorable discharge.
For most veterans, there's also a minimum length-of-service requirement. Veterans who enlisted after September 7, 1980, or who entered active duty after October 16, 1981, generally must have served 24 continuous months or the full period for which they were called to active duty. There are exceptions to this rule, including discharges for a disability caused or worsened by service and hardship discharges.
Reserve and National Guard members can qualify too, but the path is narrower. They generally must have been called to federal active duty and completed that full period of service. Training time alone usually doesn't count.
If you're unsure whether a discharge or service record meets these requirements, it's worth applying anyway. The VA reviews each case, and an accredited representative can help you understand where a particular record falls.
Not sure if your veteran qualifies to enroll? Chat with Brevy to talk through the service and discharge requirements.
The Eight Priority Groups
When a veteran enrolls, the VA places them in one of eight priority groups. The group reflects military service history, service-connected disability rating, income level, Medicaid eligibility, and other benefits received. Group 1 is the highest priority; Group 8 is the lowest. The group affects how soon a veteran is enrolled and what they pay.
The table below describes who falls into each group. Income-based groups (7 and 8) use a geographically-adjusted income threshold, often called GMT, that the VA updates annually and varies by location, so the description here stays in terms of being below or above the limit rather than a fixed dollar figure.
| Group | Who falls in it |
|---|---|
| Group 1 | Veterans with a 50% or higher service-connected disability rating, veterans determined unable to work (unemployable) because of a service-connected disability, and Medal of Honor recipients. |
| Group 2 | Veterans with a 30% or 40% service-connected disability rating. |
| Group 3 | Former prisoners of war, Purple Heart recipients, veterans discharged for a service-connected disability, and veterans with a 10% or 20% service-connected disability rating. |
| Group 4 | Veterans receiving VA Aid and Attendance or Housebound benefits, and veterans with a catastrophic disability. |
| Group 5 | Veterans below the VA income limits, pension recipients, and veterans eligible for Medicaid. |
| Group 6 | Certain combat-service veterans, toxic-exposure cases, and veterans with a 0% compensable service-connected condition. |
| Group 7 | Veterans with income below the geographically-adjusted income limits (GMT) who agree to pay copays. |
| Group 8 | Veterans with income above the income limits who agree to pay copays. |
Priority Group 8 is further divided into subpriority classifications that affect enrollment. If a veteran's income, disability rating, or other circumstances change, the VA can move them to a different priority group, so it's worth keeping the VA informed when something shifts.
What You'll Pay (Copays by Group)
Copays in VA health care depend on the priority group and on the kind of care. The general rule is that higher priority groups receive care with the lowest or no copays.
The clearest cases are at the top:
- Priority Group 1 veterans pay no copays.
- Veterans rated 50% or higher, or who are unemployable because of a service-connected disability, generally pay no copays for their care.
There's also a rule that cuts across every group. Care related to a VA-rated service-connected disability is copay-exempt for any veteran, no matter which priority group they're in. So even a veteran in a copay group pays nothing for treatment tied to a condition the VA has already rated as service-connected.
For veterans in the income-based groups who do owe copays, the amounts depend on the type of service and update over time. The VA publishes current copay rates on its website, and that's the right place to confirm a specific figure before relying on it.
Worried about what VA care will cost? Chat with Brevy's care navigator to understand how copays might apply in your situation.
How to Apply
Applying for VA health care uses a single form, the Application for Health Benefits, VA Form 10-10EZ. There are several ways to submit it:
- Online at va.gov/health-care/apply.
- By phone at 877-222-8387.
- By mail, sending VA Form 10-10EZ to the Health Eligibility Center.
- In person at a VA medical center or clinic.
You can also get free help applying. An accredited attorney, claims agent, or Veterans Service Organization (VSO) representative can complete the application with you and make sure the supporting records are in order. For an older veteran or a family member doing the legwork, that help is often worth seeking out.
It helps to have the veteran's discharge papers (the DD-214), basic income information, and any current health insurance details on hand before you start. The VA uses these to confirm eligibility and to assign the priority group.
Why Enrollment Matters for Long-Term Care
Enrollment isn't just about doctor visits. Enrollment in VA health care is what determines access to VA long-term care and other VA medical programs. A veteran who never enrolls generally can't tap into the VA's long-term care system, no matter how much care they later need.
That system is substantial. Once enrolled, eligible veterans can access VA long-term care programs including Home Based Primary Care, where a VA physician-supervised team visits the veteran at home; Adult Day Health Care; Community Living Centers, which are VA nursing homes; the Community Nursing Home program; respite care; and Veteran-Directed Care, which gives a veteran a flexible budget to hire their own caregivers. Eligibility for each of these still depends on the veteran's priority group, service-connected conditions, and clinical need, but enrollment is the door you have to walk through first.
Enrollment also opens the way to community care. Under the MISSION Act, eligible enrolled veterans can receive care from non-VA community providers when the VA can't offer a timely appointment, when the drive to a VA facility is too long, or when the needed care isn't available at their VA facility. In 2026, the Dole Act removed extra review steps to make that community care faster to access. For an older veteran living far from a VA medical center, that can be the difference between timely care and a long wait.
The takeaway is simple. If there's any chance a veteran will need VA care, whether next month or years from now, enrolling now is the move that keeps every later option open.
Frequently Asked Questions
No. A service-connected disability raises a veteran's priority group, but it isn't required to enroll. Veterans can also qualify through income-based groups (7 and 8), Medicaid eligibility, and other criteria, with the priority group reflecting service history, disability rating, income, Medicaid eligibility, and other benefits received.
The VA assigns each enrolled veteran to 1 of 8 priority groups based on military service history, service-connected disability rating, income level, Medicaid eligibility, and other benefits received. Group 1 is the highest and Group 8 is the lowest, and the group affects both enrollment and copays.
It depends on your group and the type of care. Priority Group 1 veterans pay no copays, and veterans rated 50% or higher or who are unemployable because of a service-connected disability generally pay no copays. Care related to a VA-rated service-connected disability is copay-exempt for any veteran in any group.
You can apply online at va.gov/health-care/apply using VA Form 10-10EZ, by phone at 877-222-8387, by mail to the Health Eligibility Center, or in person at a VA medical center or clinic. An accredited attorney, claims agent, or VSO representative can also help you apply for free.
Learn More
Related Brevy guides:
- How VA Health Benefits Work with Medicare
- VA Pension for Wartime Veterans: 2026 Eligibility and Rates
- VA Benefits for Senior Care: A Complete Guide
Find personalized help understanding VA health care benefits at brevy.com.
The information on Brevy.com is for educational purposes only and is not a substitute for professional legal, financial, or medical advice. Rules vary by state and program and change frequently. Always verify with the relevant agency or a qualified professional. Brevy is not a law firm, financial advisor, or healthcare provider.