If you cannot afford your VA medical bills or copays, here is what the VA can do.
The VA describes financial hardship assistance as a right for enrolled veterans, not a favor. If your income has dropped, your expenses have risen, or you simply cannot keep up with copay bills, reaching out to the VA quickly is the best move to take. Below is a guide to the VA's financial hardship programs for veterans who are struggling to pay VA copays or existing medical debt — including how to get copays waived going forward, how to set up a payment plan, how to request that existing debt be forgiven or settled for less, and how to apply for hardship enrollment if you were previously denied VA health care because your income was too high.
- BE AWARE: Delinquent copay accounts can be referred to the VA Debt Management Center or the Department of Treasury, which can result in offsets against your tax refund, Social Security payments, or other federal benefits — plus additional fees. Acting before an account becomes delinquent gives you the most options.
There are other health and medical care options for veterans as well. As an example, for information on how Medicare works alongside VA benefits, see the page on Medicare options for veterans.
Getting Copays Waived Going Forward — Hardship Determination
If your household income has dropped significantly compared to the prior year — due to job loss, reduced hours, a medical situation, or other causes — you may qualify for a hardship determination that exempts you from paying VA copays for the rest of the current calendar year. A successful hardship determination also moves you into Priority Group 5, which means no copays for inpatient and outpatient care for the remainder of that year.
Note that the hardship copay exemption does not apply to pharmacy medication copays — those are handled separately under a different income threshold.
To apply, complete VA Form 10-10HS (Request for Hardship Determination) and submit it along with a written explanation of your financial situation to the Business Office or Health Administration Service Office at your local VA medical center. The website with the form and details is at https://www.va.gov/forms/10-10hs/.
You can also request this in person through your Patient Advocate or Enrollment Coordinator at the VA facility where you receive care. If you were previously denied enrollment because your income was above the VA threshold, a significant drop in your current-year income or an increase in allowable deductible expenses is grounds to reapply. The VA reviews current-year circumstances, not just prior-year figures.
If You Already Owe VA Copay Debt
For debt that has already been billed, the VA offers three options.
- A repayment plan lets you pay off what you owe in manageable monthly amounts rather than all at once. The VA will consider how much you owe and how much you can reasonably pay. Repayment plans typically run no longer than three years. To request one, complete VA Form 1100 (Agreement to Pay Indebtedness), write in your proposed monthly payment in paragraph 1A, and include your first payment with the form. The VA Form 1100 site is https://www.va.gov/forms/1100/. Submit it to the Business Office at your local VA medical center. If your financial situation changes during the repayment period, you can contact the VA to adjust the plan.
- A waiver asks the VA to forgive part or all of the debt based on your financial circumstances and the hardship that repayment would cause. To request a waiver, submit a written explanation of your situation along with a completed VA Form 5655 (Financial Status Report) to the VA medical center where you received care. The website with the form is at https://www.va.gov/forms/5655/. You also have the right to request a hearing in connection with a waiver request — if you want one, include that request in your written submission. The VA will issue a written decision within 30 days of receiving a complete request.
- A compromise offer is similar to a debt settlement — you propose a smaller lump-sum payment that the VA agrees to accept as full resolution of the debt. This is appropriate when you cannot realistically pay the full balance within a reasonable timeframe but can access a specific amount at once. Submit a written explanation and VA Form 5655 at https://www.va.gov/forms/5655/ to make a compromise offer. See our general guide to debt settlement, including who it helps and hurts.
As a recent example, in 2025, the VA cleared $272 million in legacy medical debt, reflecting a broader effort to relieve veterans of billing burdens tied to outdated charges, system errors, and processing delays. If you have old VA debt you are unsure about, contact the VA to verify whether it is still collectible before assuming you need to pay it.
If You Have Not Yet Enrolled in VA Health Care
Veterans sometimes avoid applying for VA health care because they think their income is too high to qualify. Income is only one factor, and hardship circumstances — high medical expenses, unusual deductions, the income of dependents — are all considered in the means test. If your current-year income is substantially lower than it was when you were previously denied, reapplying is worth doing. Veterans in Priority Group 5, which is the group most affected by income-based copays, are specifically eligible to request a hardship determination that moves them to a higher priority group with no copays.
To apply for VA health care or update your financial information, complete VA Form 10-10EZ online at https://www.va.gov/forms/10-10ez/, call 877-222-8387, or visit your nearest VA medical center or Vet Center.
Other Resources for Veteran Medical Debt
County Veterans Service Officers provide free assistance navigating VA programs and can help you complete forms, submit applications, and understand your options. Find your local officer at https://www.va.gov/ or through your county government.
Veteran service organizations including the VFW, DAV (Disabled American Veterans), and American Legion also provide free claims assistance and can sometimes connect veterans with emergency financial help for medical expenses.
For veterans dealing with non-VA medical debt — bills from hospitals and providers outside the VA system — see the page on veteran debt assistance overview.
This page provides general information about VA financial hardship programs. Eligibility, form numbers, and processes can change. The VA's current financial hardship page is at https://www.va.gov/health-care/pay-copay-bill/financial-hardship/. Contact the VA at 877-222-8387 or your local VA medical center for help specific to your situation.
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