United States Department of Veterans Affairs
United States Department of Veterans Affairs

VA Greater Los Angeles Healthcare System

A Brief Look at Eligibility

For the first two years following a returning combat veteran’s discharge, VA will provide free health care for service-related conditions in order to help provide a “Seamless Transition” home. The following chart provides a simple overview of how VA eligibility is determined. Please Contact your local VA to start your enrollment process.

Photo Courtesy of U.S. Army

Photo: Staff Sgt. James Smith holds his eight-month old son Malik for the first time after returning home to Nevada from a 13-month deployment to Kuwait and Iraq. Smith is assigned to the 257th Transportation Company. This photo appeared on www.army.mil.
The First Two Years After-Discharge:
All veterans with a general or honorable discharge from Operation Iraqi Freedom (OIF) or Operation Enduring Freedom (OEF) can be provided VA medical care for two years following their discharge date for conditions suspected to be a result of their active duty.
  • Similar services can be provided for veterans of active duty in an area of combat against a hostile force, or for those who served in imminent danger pay areas after Nov. 11, 1998. The Veterans Health Administration provides eligibility information for combat veterans.

Dental Care is available to veterans provided that:

  1. the veteran did not complete dental treatment immediately before his or her discharge and
  2. the veteran applies for treatment within 90 days of his or her discharge.

Note: If a veteran has a service-connected jaw injury, s/he will still be eligible for care following the initial enrollment period.
At the end of the initial two-year enrollment period, Veterans are divided into two groups:
Group One
Group Two
Veterans enrolled in the VA system within two years of their discharge can retain their eligibility for care. After the special two year period veterans will be reassessed by the VA and assigned to an appropriate priority group.  Veterans who failed to enroll in the VA system within the two-year open enrollment period can still enroll based on specific factors including service-connected injuries, pension status, financial situation, or catastrophic disability determination. Contact your local VA to determine if you fall into this category.
For more detailed information on the enrollment process, eligibility requirements or priority groups, please visit the following links:

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