Ask a service officer: VA health-care qualifications

Q. Do I qualify for VA health-care benefits?

A. If you served in the active military service and were separated under any condition other than dishonorable, you may qualify for VA health-care benefits. Current and former members of the reserves or National Guard who were called to active duty by a federal order and completed the full period for which they were called or ordered to active duty may also be eligible for VA health benefits.

Most veterans who enlisted after Sept. 7, 1980, or entered active duty after Oct. 16, 1981, must have served 24 continuous months or the full period for which they were called to active duty in order to be eligible. This minimum duty requirement may not apply to veterans who were discharged for a disability incurred or aggravated in the line of duty, for a hardship or “early out,” or those who served prior to Sept. 7, 1980. Since there are a number of other exceptions to the minimum duty requirements, VA encourages all veterans to apply to determine enrollment eligibility.Certain veterans may be afforded enhanced eligibility status when applying and enrolling in the VA health-care system. Those are veterans who:  

  • Are former prisoners of war.
  • Were awarded the Purple Heart.
  • Were awarded the Medal of Honor.
  • Have a service-connected disability of 10 percent or more.
  • Have a VA pension.
  • Were discharged from the military because of a disability (not pre-existing), early out or hardship.
  • Served in a theater of operations for five years post discharge.
  • Served in the Republic of Vietnam from Jan. 9, 1962 to May 7, 1975.
  • Served on a U.S. Navy and Coast Guard ship associated with military service in Vietnam.
  • Served in the Persian Gulf from Aug. 2, 1990 to Nov. 11, 1998.
  • Were stationed or resided at Camp Lejeune for 30 days or more between Aug. 1, 1953 and Dec. 31, 1987.
  • Are found by VA to be catastrophically disabled.