Veterans Health Programs

Veterans Medical Benefits Package

How It Works

Most services covered under the Veterans Medical Benefits Program are performed free of cost to eligible veterans, but depending upon a veteran’s priority group, copayments may be required. Each year veterans must complete the VA financial assessment, which the VA uses to help determine priority group assignments. Veterans who do not complete the financial assessment are assigned to Priority Group 8, which requires copays. But even if you are assigned to a priority group that requires copays, private insurance you may have might cover your copays.

Veterans Eligible for Free Health Care

• Veterans with a qualifying service-connected disability
• Low-income Veterans
• Veterans who have received the Purple Heart

• Prisoner of war Veterans

Medical Treatments That do not Require Copays

• Mental health services for post-traumatic stress disorder
• Care associated with a research project
• Care for cancer due to radiation exposure during time of military service
• Care related to service after Nov. 11, 1998
• Laboratory services

• Sexual trauma counseling 

The VA offers three option if you cannot make copayments:

1. Waiver
   Contact the revenue coordinator at your VA health care facility to request a copay waiver. You must prove financial hardship.

2. Reassign Priority Group
   Ask the enrollment coordinator at your VA health care facility to reassign you to a higher priority group. The enrollment coordinator will make a decision based on financial information you provide.

3. Compromise
   Contact the enrollment coordinator at your VA health care facility to request a compromise offer to pay part of the copyays that are due. If a compromise offer is made, you will have 30 days to make a lump-sum payment, but this will settle your debt.