VA Priority Group 8: Who Qualifies and What Benefits They Can Still Get

VA Priority Group 8: For veterans in the U.S, getting health care from the Department of Veterans Affairs isn’t the same for everyone. The VA has a system that sorts veterans into eight different priority groups, and Group 8 is the last one on that list. That means it’s the hardest group to get full VA health care through. But being in Group 8 doesn’t mean you’re completely locked out some veterans can still get care depending on certain conditions like when they served or how much they earn now.

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Who Gets Placed in Priority Group 8?

Veterans land in Group 8 mostly when they don’t have a service-connected disability, or their service-related disability is rated 0%. These veterans also make more money than what the VA allows under both the national income limit and the local income rules, called the Geographic Means Test. So, the VA sees them as not needing as much help.

Even though they’re in Group 8, some veterans agree to pay certain fees to still access care. These aren’t free services like higher priority groups get they pay for doctor visits, medications, hospital stays, and more.

Subpriority and eligibility:

• 8a: Veterans with a 0% non-compensable condition from service who joined before January 16, 2003, and stayed in
• 8b: Veterans with a 0% non-compensable condition from service who joined after January 16, 2003
• 8c: Veterans with no conditions from service who joined before January 16, 2003, and stayed in
• 8d: Veterans with no conditions from service who joined after January 16, 2003

What Benefits Can Group 8 Veterans Still Get?

Veterans in Group 8 who are accepted can still get several types of care from the VA. They might have access to regular doctor check-ups, mental health care, shots, hospital stays, and prescription medicine but none of it comes free. They have to pay for most of these services. Even though they’re paying, it can still be more affordable compared to private health insurance in many cases. But they should always check updated rates each year to know what they’ll owe.

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Just because Group 8 has more limits doesn’t mean veterans are stuck there forever. Life changes happen. If a veteran’s health gets worse or their income goes down, they might move to a better group with more access. There are also other VA programs and community care options that could open up, depending on their situation.

If a veteran thinks the VA put them in the wrong group or something in their life has changed, they don’t have to stay silent. They can contact the VA and ask to be reviewed. There are also veterans service organizations that can help with that process and make sure everything is fair.