How did the PACT Act change VA priority groups?

The PACT Act expanded VA health care eligibility for veterans exposed to burn pits, Agent Orange, and other toxic substances. Toxic-exposure veterans — including those who served at Camp Lejeune for at least 30 days between August 1953 and December 1987 and veterans who participated in toxic exposure risk activities — generally qualify for enrollment under Priority Group 6. Combat veterans discharged after November 11, 1998 also have an enhanced eligibility window (Group 6) for a period of years after discharge. See VA.gov for the current rules.

Do I apply for a priority group separately from VA health care?

No. You apply for VA health care once — online with VA Form 10-10EZ, by phone, by mail, or in person — and VA assigns your priority group during enrollment based on your disability rating, service history, awards, and financial assessment. If your circumstances change later, VA can reassign your group.

Updated July 2026

VA Priority Group Calculator — Which Health Care Group Are You In?

VA sorts every enrolled veteran into a priority group from 1 to 8, and you're always assigned the highest group you qualify for. A 50%+ service-connected rating, a TDIU (unemployability) grant, or the Medal of Honor puts you in Group 1 — no copays for any care, tests, or medications. Lower ratings, awards like the Purple Heart, catastrophic disability, recent combat service, toxic exposure under the PACT Act, and your income all feed into Groups 2-8. Answer the questions below to see your likely group and what it means for copays, per VA's official priority group rules.

All 8 VA Priority Groups at a Glance

These are VA's published criteria, condensed. You're placed in the highest group you qualify for. Full detail is on VA's priority groups page.

Group	Who's in it
1	Service-connected rating 50%+ · rated unemployable due to service-connected disability (TDIU) · Medal of Honor recipients. No copays for any care, tests, or medications.
2	Service-connected rating 30% or 40%.
3	Former POWs · Purple Heart recipients · discharged for a disability caused or worsened by active-duty service · rating 10% or 20% · special eligibility under 38 U.S.C. § 1151.
4	Receiving VA Aid & Attendance or Housebound benefits · VA-determined catastrophically disabled.
5	Non-compensable 0% rating or no service-connected disability with income below VA's adjusted limits · VA pension recipients · Medicaid-eligible veterans.
6	Compensable 0% rating · toxic exposure risk activities (PACT Act) · Camp Lejeune (30+ days, Aug 1953–Dec 1987) · combat veterans in the post-discharge enhanced-eligibility window · Project 112/SHAD · certain service eras and radiation/Agent Orange exposures.
7	Income below the geographically adjusted limits and you agree to pay copays.
8	Income above the limits and you agree to pay copays. Subpriorities 8a–8g apply, and enrollment has been restricted for some new applicants in this group since Jan 16, 2003.

Copay Basics by Priority Group

The three copay rules that cover most veterans

Care for service-connected conditions is free for everyone. No matter your group, VA doesn't charge copays for care related to a VA-rated service-connected disability.
A 10%+ service-connected rating means no inpatient or outpatient copays. You may still owe medication copays for non-service-connected conditions unless you're in Group 1.
Group 1 pays nothing. Veterans rated 50%+, rated unemployable (TDIU), or awarded the Medal of Honor pay no copays for any types of care, tests, or medications.

Source: VA — Your health care costs and VA copay rates.

Other copay exemptions and free services

VA lists catastrophic disability among the categories eligible for free care — if you have that determination (Group 4), most copays don't apply.
Preventive services, lab tests, and X-rays carry no copay for anyone.
Readjustment counseling and care related to military sexual trauma are copay-free regardless of group.
Additional exemptions exist for specific statuses (for example, former POWs) — VA's copay rates page and enrollment office have the full list.

Groups 7 and 8: what "agreeing to copays" means

Groups 7 and 8 are the income-based groups for veterans with no service-connected rating (or a non-compensable 0% rating) whose eligibility rests on the financial assessment. As a condition of enrollment you agree to pay VA's copays for care and medications for non-service-connected conditions.

Group 8 has subpriorities (8a–8g) based on when you enrolled and how far your income exceeds the limits. Since January 16, 2003, VA has restricted new enrollment for some Group 8 applicants — veterans whose income exceeds the limits by 10% or less may still qualify under the relaxed rules (8b/8d). If your income is above the limits and you've never enrolled, check with VA before assuming you can't get care.

PACT Act & Group 6 Expansion

The PACT Act of 2022 is the largest health care eligibility expansion in VA history. It opened Priority Group 6 enrollment to millions of toxic-exposure veterans — burn pits, Agent Orange (including newly added locations like Thailand, Laos, Cambodia, and Guam), radiation sites, and Camp Lejeune water contamination — and it lengthened the post-discharge enhanced-eligibility window for combat veterans. Group 6 veterans generally receive care for their qualifying exposure or era, with copay rules that depend on whether the care is related to that eligibility.

Common Group 6 pathways

Combat veterans: served in a theater of combat after November 11, 1998 — enhanced enrollment for a period of years after discharge (the window VA currently describes runs 10 years for those discharged on or after October 1, 2013).
Camp Lejeune: at least 30 days at Camp Lejeune between August 1, 1953 and December 31, 1987.
Toxic exposure risk activity: deployments and duty stations covered by the PACT Act, including the Gulf War and post-9/11 theaters.

Details and covered locations change as VA implements the law — verify your pathway on VA's PACT Act page.

Frequently Asked Questions

What is the difference between a VA disability rating and a priority group?

Your disability rating (0-100%) measures how disabling your service-connected conditions are and drives your monthly compensation. Your priority group (1-8) determines your place in line for VA health care enrollment and whether you pay copays.

Your rating is one input into your group — 50%+ puts you in Group 1, 30-40% in Group 2, 10-20% in Group 3 — but awards, service history, income, and VA determinations like catastrophic disability also matter.

What priority group is a veteran with a 50% or higher rating in?

Priority Group 1. VA assigns Group 1 to veterans rated 50% or more disabling, veterans rated unable to work because of service-connected disabilities (TDIU), and Medal of Honor recipients.

Group 1 veterans don't pay copays for any types of care, tests, or medications.

Can my VA priority group change?

Yes, in both directions. VA moves you to a higher group if your rating increases, you're granted TDIU, you receive a catastrophic disability determination, or your income drops below the limits. Your group can also drop — for example, if your income rises above the geographic limits and you have no other qualifying factor.

VA always assigns the highest group you currently qualify for; you don't need to file anything separate to be reassessed when your rating changes.

Which VA priority groups pay copays?

Group 1 pays no copays at all. For everyone else:

Care for service-connected conditions is always free, in every group.
A 10%+ rating exempts you from inpatient and outpatient copays.
Groups 7 and 8 agree to pay copays for non-service-connected care and medications as a condition of enrollment.

Exact dollar amounts are on VA's copay rates page.

How did the PACT Act change priority groups?

The PACT Act expanded eligibility for veterans exposed to burn pits, Agent Orange, and other toxins — most of them enroll under Priority Group 6. That includes Camp Lejeune veterans (30+ days between August 1953 and December 1987) and veterans who took part in toxic exposure risk activities.

Combat veterans discharged after November 11, 1998 also get an enhanced-eligibility enrollment window in Group 6 for a period of years after discharge. See VA's PACT Act page for current rules.

Do I apply for a priority group separately?

No. You apply for VA health care once — online with VA Form 10-10EZ, by phone at 877-222-8387, by mail, or in person — and VA assigns your priority group during enrollment based on your records and financial assessment.

Data Sources

Every rule on this page comes from the official sources below. See our full methodology for how we source and verify.

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VA Priority Group Calculator — Which Health Care Group Are You In?

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Why this group

Other groups you also meet

What this means for copays

All 8 VA Priority Groups at a Glance

Copay Basics by Priority Group

PACT Act & Group 6 Expansion

Frequently Asked Questions

Data Sources

VA Priority Group Calculator — Which Health Care Group Are You In?

Check Your Priority Group

Your Results

Why this group

Other groups you also meet

What this means for copays

All 8 VA Priority Groups at a Glance

Copay Basics by Priority Group

PACT Act & Group 6 Expansion

Frequently Asked Questions

Data Sources

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