VA priority groups: what they are and why yours matters
After you enroll, the VA assigns you to one of 8 priority groups based on service-connected disability, income, and special factors like toxic exposure or POW status. Your group affects how soon you're enrolled and what you pay: Priority Group 1 veterans pay no copays at all, while Priority Group 8 veterans pay the standard copay schedule.
What priority groups are
Priority groups exist to make sure veterans who need care most get it first while the VA delivers quality care to everyone enrolled. Your group may affect how soon you're signed up for VA health care benefits and what you pay — if anything — toward the cost of that care.
Groups are assigned based on your military service history, VA disability rating, income level, Medicaid eligibility, and other VA benefits you receive. If you qualify for more than one group, the VA places you in the highest one.
The eight groups at a glance
| Group | Generally includes | Copay picture |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | Service-connected rating of 50%+ or unemployable due to service-connected conditions; Medal of Honor recipients | $0 — no copays for care or medications |
| 2 | Service-connected rating of 30% or 40% | No care copays; medication copays may apply for non-service-connected conditions |
| 3 | Service-connected rating of 10% or 20%; former POWs; Purple Heart recipients; discharged for a disability incurred in the line of duty | No care copays; medication copays may apply |
| 4 | Veterans receiving VA aid & attendance or housebound benefits; catastrophically disabled | Most copays waived |
| 5 | Non-service-connected (or 0% noncompensable) veterans below VA income limits; Medicaid-eligible; VA pension recipients | Generally no care copays; medication copays may apply |
| 6 | Special-authority groups: toxic exposure and PACT Act enrollees, certain era/location service (e.g., Vietnam, Camp Lejeune), 0% compensable ratings | $0 for care related to the special authority; standard copays may apply for unrelated care |
| 7 | Income above VA limits but below the geographic income threshold; agree to copays | Reduced inpatient rates; standard outpatient and medication copays |
| 8 | Income above both thresholds, no compensable service-connected disability; agree to copays | Full copay schedule — see 2026 copays |
These descriptions are illustrative, not the complete regulatory list — the VA's official priority group page has every qualifying condition.
Group 1 vs. group 8 — the cost spread
Finding — and changing — your group
Your priority group appears in your VA enrollment letter and your va.gov profile, or call 877-222-8387. Groups aren't permanent: a new or increased disability rating, a drop in income, a new special authority (the PACT Act moved many veterans into Group 6), or qualifying for a VA pension can all move you up. If your finances changed since you enrolled, submitting updated income information with VA Form 10-10EZR can lower what you pay.
Group 1 veterans with $0 VA costs face a genuinely different Part B math than Group 8 veterans paying full copays — and Group 8 veterans often find a Medicare Advantage pairing more compelling. Your group is the starting point for the whole conversation.
Frequently asked questions
How do I find out my VA priority group?
Can my priority group change?
Which priority group pays no copays?
What group do PACT Act enrollees land in?
You earned these benefits. Make them work together.
Whether you keep exactly what you have or add Medicare coverage alongside it, the right answer depends on your health, budget, and how you like to get care.
No cost, no obligation. You can also get help from Medicare.gov, 1-800-MEDICARE (TTY 1-877-486-2048), or your local SHIP office.