Welcome to Veterans Health Administration (VHA), the health care division of the Department of Veterans Affairs (VA). VHA is committed to providing you with quality health care. We want to meet your health care needs by helping you avoid illness through prevention and wellness programs and services.

This site covers many of the health care services available. It explains what you are eligible for, how to apply for and use your health benefits, and what to do if you have a problem. This information is current as of the time of publication but may change as a result of law and/or regulation.

This site is designed to provide veterans and their families with the information they will need to understand VA’s health care system — its enrollment process including enrollment priority groups, required co-payments, if applicable, and what services are covered.

If we have not addressed your specific questions, additional help is available at the following sources:

• Any Veterans Service Center located at the Albany, Bath, Canandaigua, Syracuse, Western New York (Buffalo) VA Medical Centers or by calling the Veterans Service Contact Center at 1-888-823-9656
• National Veterans Health Benefits Service Center at 1-877-222-VETS (8387)
• The eligibility page on the VA (national) Web site.

Attention Veterans from Operations Iraqi Freedom and Enduring Freedom
VA Healthcare Network Upstate New York is committed to supporting troops returning from Operations Enduring Freedom (Afghanistan) and Iraqi Freedom and to make sure you have the health care and benefits you need.

Each Medical Center has a Veterans Service Center. They will work with you to get you enrolled for the health care services you are entitled to.

Every active-duty service member, Reservist or National Guards member who serves in a theater of combat operations is eligible for hospital care, medical services, and community living center care for injuries or illnesses he/she believes is related to combat service for a period up to two years beginning on the date of discharge or release from service. This two-year eligibility for medical care is available even if there is insufficient medical evidence available to conclude that the veteran’s illness is the result of combat service. At the end of the two-year period, these veterans have the same eligibility for VA medical care as veterans of earlier conflicts.

VA programs for veterans with a service-connected injury or illness apply equally to those who served in the regular active duty forces and to National Guard members or reservists returning from federal activation.