05/23/2026
VA HEALTHCARE PRIORITY GROUPS
A lot of veterans confuse VA disability compensation with VA healthcare. They are connected in some ways, but they are not the same thing.
VA disability compensation is the monthly payment for service-connected conditions. VA healthcare is medical care through the VA healthcare system. You can apply for VA healthcare even if you do not have a VA disability rating yet.
To apply for VA healthcare, the main form is VA Form 10-10EZ. You can apply online through VA.gov, by phone at 877-222-8387, by mail, in person at a VA medical center, or with help from a VSO/accredited representative.
Once the VA processes your application, they place you into a priority group. That priority group helps determine how quickly you may be enrolled and how much, if anything, you may have to pay in copays.
That is important to understand. Priority groups do not usually mean one group gets “better doctors” or a completely different healthcare system. The priority group mainly affects enrollment priority and cost. In plain English, it helps answer two big questions: how high of a priority are you for VA healthcare enrollment, and will you have copays for some care or medications?
Income can matter. For some veterans, especially those without a compensable service-connected rating or another special eligibility category, income may affect whether they are enrolled, which priority group they are placed in, and whether they may have copays. That does not mean every veteran with higher income is automatically denied VA healthcare. It means income is one factor the VA may look at depending on the veteran’s situation.
Here is the simple breakdown:
Priority Group 1: Usually veterans rated 50% or higher, veterans granted TDIU, and Medal of Honor recipients. This is generally the highest healthcare enrollment priority and usually means the least concern about copays.
Priority Group 2: Usually veterans rated 30% or 40% service-connected. This is still a high-priority group and usually gives strong access to VA healthcare with fewer cost concerns than lower groups.
Priority Group 3: Usually veterans rated 10% or 20%, former POWs, Purple Heart recipients, veterans discharged for a disability caused or worsened by service, and certain other special categories. This group still has a strong basis for enrollment, but some copays may depend on the type of care.
Priority Group 4: Usually veterans receiving Aid and Attendance or Housebound benefits, or veterans the VA has determined to be catastrophically disabled. This group is based more on serious health/functional need than just the disability percentage.
Priority Group 5: Usually veterans with income below VA limits, veterans receiving VA pension, or veterans eligible for Medicaid. This group can be very important for veterans who may not have a high service-connected rating but qualify based on financial need.
Priority Group 6: This group includes several special categories, such as certain 0% service-connected veterans, veterans with qualifying toxic exposure/service history, certain Gulf War veterans, certain Camp Lejeune veterans, and certain combat veterans within their enhanced eligibility period. This group can help veterans get enrolled even when they do not have a compensable VA rating.
Priority Group 7: Usually veterans whose income is below the VA’s geographically adjusted income limits and who agree to pay applicable copays. In plain English, this may apply when the veteran’s income is not low enough for Priority Group 5, but still falls within certain VA limits.
Priority Group 8: Usually veterans whose income is above VA income limits and who agree to pay applicable copays. Some veterans in Priority Group 8 may still qualify for enrollment, but this group can involve more cost responsibility and, in some situations, more limits depending on the veteran’s exact subpriority category.
The big takeaway is this: do not assume you are not eligible. Apply and let the VA make the official determination.
Some veterans qualify because of their disability rating. Some qualify because of income. Some qualify because of toxic exposure, combat service, Gulf War service, Vietnam-era service, Camp Lejeune service, Medicaid eligibility, VA pension, Aid and Attendance, Housebound status, or other special rules.
Also, if your situation changes, your priority group may change too. If your disability rating increases, your income changes, you are granted VA pension, or the VA grants another benefit, that could affect your healthcare priority group.
Bottom line: if you are a veteran and you are not enrolled in VA healthcare, it may be worth applying. The worst they can do is tell you where you stand. The best outcome is that you get access to healthcare you may not have realized you qualified for.
