Upon receipt of a completed application, the Veteran's eligibility will be verified. Bused on his/her specific status, he/she will be assigned to one of the following priority groups. The priority groups range from 1 through 8, with Priority Group 1 being the highest priority and Priority Group 8 being the lowest.

Priority Group 1

  • Veterans with service-connected disabilities rated 50% or more disabling
  • Veterans determined by VA to be unemployable due to VA service-connected conditions

Priority Group 2

  • Veterans with VA service-connected disabilities rated 30% or 40% disabling

Priority Group 3

  • Veterans who are former POWs
  • Veterans awarded the Purple Heart Medal
  • Veterans whose discharge was for a disability that was incurred or aggravated in the line of duty
  • Veterans with VA service-connected disabilities rated 10% or 20% disabling
  • Veterans awarded special eligibility classification under Title 38, U.S.C., Section 1151, "benefits for individuals disabled by treatment or vocational rehabilitation"

Priority Group 4

  • Veterans who are receiving VA aid and attendance or housebound benefits
  • Veterans who have been determined by VA to be catastrophically disabled

Priority Group 5

  • Non service-connected Veterans and noncompensable service-connected veterans rated 0% disabled whose annual income and net worth are below the established VA Means Test thresholds
  • Veterans receiving VA pension benefits
  • Veterans eligible for Medicaid benefits

Priority Group 6

  • World War I Veterans
  • Compensable 0% service-connected Veterans
  • Veterans exposed to ionizing radiation during atmospheric testing or during the occupation of Hiroshima and Nagasaki
  • Project 112/SHAD participants
  • Veterans who served in a theater of combat operations after November 11, 1998, as follows:
    • Veterans discharged from active duty on or after January 28, 2003, who were enrolled as of January 28, 2008, and Veterans who apply for enrollment after January 28, 2008, for five years post discharge
    • Veterans discharged from active duty before January 28, 2003, who apply for enrollment after January 28, 2008, until January 27, 2011

Priority Group 7

  • Veterans with income and/or net worth ABOVE the VA national income threshold and income BELOW the geographic income threshold who agree to pay copays

Priority Group 8

  • Veterans with income and/or net worth ABOVE the VA national income threshold and the geographic income threshold who agree to pay copays
    • Subpriority a: Noncompensable 0% service-connected Veterans enrolled as of January 16, 2003, and who have remained enrolled since that date
    • Subpriority c: Non service-connected Veterans enrolled as of January 16, 2003, and who have remained enrolled since that date
    • Subpriority e: Noncompensable 0% service-connected Veterans applying for enrollment after January 16, 2003
    • Subpriority g: Non service-connected Veterans applying for enrollment after January 16, 2003