More than 250,000 new veterans have reportedly enrolled in health care so far this year with the Department of Veterans Affairs (VA).
The VA said in a statement Tuesday that more than 1.4 million veterans who joined VA health care this year have had or scheduled medical appointments, including more than 300,000 mental health appointments and more than 12,000 emergency care visits.
The VA calculates new health care enrollment when a veteran’s Form 10-10EZ is approved and assigned a priority group.
“Under President [Donald] Trump, we are reforming [the] VA from a bureaucratic organization into one that always puts veterans first,” VA Secretary Doug Collins said in a press release. “That means drastically cutting wait times and backlogs, delivering more direct care and community care than ever before, and making historic investments in new and improved facilities.
“Veterans are noticing the difference, and these massive health care enrollment numbers underscore that fact.”
Military.com reached out to the VA for additional comment.
Numbers on Clinics, Backlogs
The department’s reach extends beyond general health care and into aspects like homelessness and clinical drug trials.
The VA opened 41 healthcare clinics since January 2025. Also, they are touting that the backlog of veterans waiting for VA benefits has decreased by more than 70% since the start of Trump’s second administration.
The “benefits backlog” is defined as disability claims pending longer than 125 days, omitting newer applications. Former President Joe Biden’s administration saw a massive backlog surge because its PACT Act policy heavily expanded eligibility.
Disability claims processing times are down 46% since the same time, per the VA, which says it completed a record high of 82,083,918 direct care appointments in Fiscal Year 2025.
The department is also exploring various routes to improve veterans’ mental health, through clinical trials of psychedelic drugs. Overall, the VA is involved in 20 active clinical trials in which they are testing psychedelic therapies for mental health conditions.
Veterans can apply for VA health care online at va.gov/health-care/apply or by calling (877) 222-8387 Monday through Friday 8 a.m. to 8 p.m. ET, or in person at any VA medical center. The online application takes approximately 30 minutes. Once enrolled, coverage is for life with no annual re-enrollment requirement.
Veterans who wish to learn more about their healthcare benefits are also advised to call VA 24/7 at 800-698-2411 or can visit this site.
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