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1.2. Enrollment Priority Groups
Each year, Congress allocates a certain amount of money for VA health care. Based upon the amount of money, the Secretary of the Department of Veterans Affairs determines the number of veterans who can be enrolled in VA's health care programs. Enrollment priority groups have been established so that the Secretary can exclude veterans in certain priority groups if inadequate funds are provided by Congress to serve all veterans.
When you enroll for health care, you will be assigned to a priority group. If you qualify under multiple priority groups based on different criteria, you will be assigned to the highest priority group for which you are eligible.
Priority groups range from 1 (highest eligibility) to 8 (lowest eligibility) and take into consideration any service-connected disabilities, military awards, 1151 benefits, catastrophic disabilities, geographic means tests and other factors. It is probably easiest to determine your priority group by referencing the table below.
Priority Group | Who Qualifies |
1 |
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2 |
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3 |
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4 |
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5 |
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6 |
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7 |
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8 |
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Priority group 8, Sub-priority groups
Sub-Priority Groups |
Which Priority Group 8 veterans qualify |
8a |
Veterans who are noncompensable 0% service-connected and who were enrolled for VA healthcare as of January 16, 2003, and who have remained enrolled since that date and/ or placed in this subpriority due to changed eligibility status. |
8b |
Veterans who are noncompensable 0% service-connected and who enrolled for VA health care on or after June 15, 2009 and whose income exceeds the current VA National Income Thresholds or VA National Geographic Income Thresholds by 10% or less. |
8c |
Veterans who are nonservice-connected and who enrolled for VA health care as January 16, 2003, and who remained enrolled since that date and/ or placed in this subpriority due to changed eligibility status |
8d |
Veterans who are nonservice-connected and who enrolled for VA health care on or after June 15, 2009 and whose income exceeds the current VA National Income Thresholds or VA National Geographic Income Thresholds by 10% or less |
8e |
Veterans not meeting the criteria above and who are noncompensable 0% service connected. |
8f |
Veterans not meeting the criteria above and who are nonservice-connected. |