Originally published: 2026-04-06T15:00:00+00:00. Historical source article: benefits, rules, amounts and deadlines may have changed. Check the official source for current information.
WASHINGTON ― The Department of Veterans Affairs today announced that more than 100,000 new Veterans have enrolled in VA health care so far in 2026, a testament to the landmark improvements VA has made during the second Trump Administration.
VA reached 100,000 new health care enrollees March 31, faster than it hit that mark in six of the last seven years.
“We have transformed VA from a bureaucratic organization to a service organization, where Veterans come first in everything we do,” said VA Secretary Doug Collins. “These enrollment numbers are proof that Veterans are responding to the historic improvements we are making under President Trump.”
Under President Trump, VA has made a host of important improvements since January 2025, including:
- Expanded access to care: VA has opened 34 new VA health care facilities around the country.
- More convenient access to benefits: VA has reduced the backlog of Veterans waiting for VA benefits by 67% since Jan. 20, 2025, after it increased 24% during the Biden Administration.
- Flexible appointment scheduling: VA has offered Veterans more than 2.2 million appointments outside of normal operating hours to give them more timely and convenient options for care.
- Modernized facilities: VA will spend nearly $5 billion in FY26 to modernize, repair and improve health care facilities, the largest non-recurring maintenance investment in VA’s history.
- More access to VA care: In FY2025, VA completed more direct care appointments than ever, and made more community care referrals than ever before, and VA’s capacity continues to increase.
- Housing homeless Veterans: VA permanently housed 51,936 homeless Veterans across the country in FY2025, the highest total in seven years.
VA encourages all eligible Veterans, family members, caregivers, and survivors to learn more about VA and apply for health care and earned benefits today.
Source: U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs. Its Veterans is an independent publication and is not affiliated with or endorsed by the U.S. government.
