The U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs (VA) hit 100,000 new enrollments in its healthcare system before the first quarter of 2026 even ended. That milestone came on March 31. According to internal data, that pace was faster than in six of the last seven years.
Along with the announcement, the Veterans Affairs dropped updated info on eligibility requirements, available paperwork, and some operational changes inside the system.
VA Secretary Doug Collins put it pretty bluntly: “We’ve transformed the VA from a bureaucratic organization to a service organization, where veterans come first in everything we do.” That line was part of the official release where the department shared the enrollment number.
VA Healthcare: The Law That Flipped the Script on Access
And that number isn’t just floating out there on its own. It’s part of a bigger expansion that kicked off when the PACT Act went into effect back in August 2022, which fundamentally changed who can access the federal health system for former service members.
The PACT Act is considered the biggest expansion of medical and disability benefits for veterans in decades. The main thing it did was bring in folks who were exposed to toxic stuff during their service—burn pits, Agent Orange, radiation, depleted uranium, and other materials the feds classify as hazardous.
From the time it was signed through the day the VA reported its cumulative enrollment data from the first two years of implementation, 739,000 veterans had joined the system. That was a 33% jump compared to the same period before.
Eligible Veterans
In March 2024, the VA ditched the phased rollout that the law originally set up. That step-by-step approach would’ve stretched eligibility openings out for several more years.
By scrapping it, every veteran who served in Vietnam, the Gulf War, Iraq, Afghanistan, the Global War on Terror, or any combat zone after September 11, 2001, became eligible to sign up with the VA right away—no need to have filed a disability claim first.
New Medical Facilities
Starting January 2025, the VA opened 34 new medical facilities across different states. At the same time, the department set up more than 2.2 million appointments outside normal business hours—a move meant to make it easier for vets who work or have schedule constraints to get an appointment.
During fiscal year 2025, the agency handled more direct care appointments than any previous year and made the largest number of referrals to community care providers on record. On the disability benefits side, the VA processed over 2 million claims that same year, beating any previous historical mark.
The backlog of pending cases dropped 67% from January 2025. The VA also said that during fiscal 2025, it housed 51,936 homeless veterans permanently—the highest total in seven years.
Record Investment in Infrastructure and Who’s Eligible Now
For fiscal 2026, the VA announced nearly $5 billion in funding to modernize, repair, and upgrade its facilities. The department called that the largest non-recurring maintenance allocation in its history.
The eligibility picture under the PACT Act changes includes vets who served in combat zones after 9/11, those who were in Vietnam or the Gulf War, and folks exposed to toxic agents during training or active duty inside the U.S. without ever being deployed overseas.
You don’t need an active disability rating or to have filed a previous claim. The VA health system covers: primary care, specialty care, mental health, prescription meds, preventive exams, and—under the PACT Act—toxic exposure screening as a standard part of primary care.
How to Actually Sign Up
You can enroll in the VA health system four different ways. First, online through the official VA portal. Second, in person at any VA medical facility in the country. Third, by phone at 1-800-MYVA411. Fourth, by snail mail—send in a completed VA Form 10-10EZ.
The documents they ask for: your Social Security number, your military service history (DD-214 when available, though the VA can verify service without it in some cases), and basic financial info to figure out which priority group you fall into—that determines what you pay for care.
If you applied before and got turned down because you didn’t meet the rules at the time, you can try again. Eligibility requirements changed a lot with the PACT Act, and a bunch of vets who used to be locked out now qualify.