Health care
2026 VA Copay Rates and Who Pays Nothing
What VA charges in 2026, and what a 10 percent or higher rating saves you.
Rates change every year. These are the 2026 figures. Check VA's copay page for the current year before you rely on them.
What it is
A copay is what you pay VA for care that is not for a service-connected condition. Amounts are set each year. These are the 2026 figures VA prints on its copay page (effective January 1, 2026).
The 2026 amounts
- Primary care visit: $15. Specialty care visit: $50. These apply if you do not have a service-connected rating of 10 percent or higher.
- Medications (priority groups 2 to 8): per supply, VA lists tier 1 at $5, $10 or $15 (30, 60 or 90 days), tier 2 at $8, $16 or $24, and tier 3 at $11, $22 or $33.
- Yearly cap on medication copays: $700 per calendar year (Jan 1 to Dec 31). After that, no more medication copays that year.
Urgent care and inpatient stays also have copays that depend on your priority group. I am not listing those amounts here. See VA's copay page for the current numbers for your group.
The 2026 amounts
Who pays nothing
- Care for a service-connected condition (priority groups 1 to 6): no outpatient copay.
- Veterans with a service-connected rating of 10 percent or higher: no inpatient copay and no $15/$50 visit copays.
- Under VA's rules, Veterans rated 50 percent or higher, former prisoners of war, Purple Heart recipients, Medal of Honor recipients, Veterans with a catastrophic disability and those whose income is at or below VA's pension limit are exempt from copays (VA's rules list varies by type of care, so confirm your group).
- Always free: readjustment counseling and related mental health services, military sexual trauma care, laboratory tests, X-rays and EKGs, preventive screenings and immunizations, service-related and VA claim exams.
What this means for your claim
A rating of 10 percent or higher removes the $15 and $50 visit copays and inpatient copays. That is real money every year, on top of your monthly compensation.
How to get it, step by step
- Find out your priority group: sign in at va.gov and check your health care profile, or call the number below.
- If you are not enrolled, apply with the link below.
- If a bill looks wrong, call the Health Resource Center number below within 30 days. Interest and monthly fees start after 30 days.
- If you cannot pay, see the separate page on hardship and copay debt relief.
priority grouphealth care profile
30 dayshardship
Where to call and where to go
Phone
- VA copay questions, Monday to Friday 8 a.m. to 8 p.m. ET: 1-866-400-1238 (TTY 711). Source: VA: Pay your copay bill
- 1-800-698-2411 (VA main information line). Source: VA substance use page
Official pages