Veterans Health Administration

The Veterans Health Administration (VHA) is the largest integrated health care system in the United States, operating 170 VA Medical Centers and 1,193 outpatient sites of care — 1,380 facilities in total — serving more than 9.1 million enrolled Veterans. Its stated mission is to honor America's Veterans by providing exceptional health care that improves their health and well-being. The federal government's role in veteran care dates to 1919, with access later expanded in 1924 to veterans unable to pay for care regardless of service-connected disability.

VHA is a direct provider of care — it owns its hospitals and employs its clinicians — rather than a health insurance financing program. Services span surgery, critical care, mental health, orthopedics, pharmacy, radiology, and physical therapy, among others. Under the VA MISSION Act of 2018, enrolled veterans may also seek care from community providers when VA services are unavailable or community care is in their best medical interest.

With an annual budget of approximately $68 billion and a workforce exceeding 371,000 health care professionals and support staff, VHA also engages 25,000 active volunteers, 113,000 health professions trainees, and nearly 16,000 affiliated medical faculty. Beyond patient care, VHA is statutorily mandated to conduct medical research, train health care professionals, serve as a contingency backup to the Department of Defense medical system, and support national disaster and emergency response efforts. It is the nation's largest provider of graduate medical education and a major contributor to medical and scientific research.