Where You'll Work and Who You'll Treat
The Department of Veterans Affairs offers Veterans the largest, most technologically advanced integrated health care system in the United States. We operate more than 1,400 sites of care, including 153 medical centers, 909 ambulatory and community-based outpatient clinics, 135 nursing homes, 232 Veterans centers, 47 readjustment counseling centers, and 108 comprehensive home-care programs, across all 50 states, the District of Columbia, and U.S. Territories.
More than 7.9 million Veterans, their family members, and survivors are enrolled in the VA health system, with 5.5 million seeking treatment each year. Currently, that annual treatment involves 773,600 inpatient visits and 60 million outpatient visits. About 250,000 full-time employees and 90,000 health professional trainees work in interdisciplinary care teams to deliver those patient services daily.
VA's patient population crosses a wide spectrum of individuals, from elderly World War II Veterans, to baby boomer Vietnam Vets, to today's younger heroes who served during the Gulf War era and in the present day Operations Enduring Freedom and Iraqi Freedom. VA also serves a growing number of women Veterans, who currently account for 7 percent of the total Veteran population.
VA has impacted other areas such as:
Medical Training
More than half of U.S. physicians and nurses have received some or all of their training through VA.
VA facilities help train students from 107 medical schools, 55 dental schools, and more than 1,200 other health care schools.
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Health Care
Studies have shown that patients in the VA health care system receive better care than private sector patients. And VA inpatients and outpatients are happier with the care they receive than those patients in the private sector.
VA doctors and researchers have played key roles in the medical community by developing the cardiac pacemaker and the CT scan, performing the first liver transplant, and conducting research that has led to major improvements in treatment of tuberculosis, schizophrenia, and high blood pressure. In fact, three Nobel Prize winners have worked for the VA health care system.
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Compensation and Pension
More than 3.6 million Veterans and their survivors will receive VA disability compensation and pensions this year worth more than $32 billion.
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Education
Last year, VA paid more than $2.4 billion in educational benefits to 490,000 people.
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GI Bill
The GI Bill is often referred to as the single most important piece of social legislation in American history, credited with creating the "middle class" in post-war America. Since 1944 when the GI Bill began, 21 million Veterans and surviving family members have taken advantage of the education program.
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Home Loans
VA helped 336,000 Veterans buy homes worth $44 billion last year through our home loan guaranty program. Since the end of WWII, VA has guaranteed more than 17 million home loans totaling more than $811 billion.
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Cemeteries
VA manages 131 national cemeteries in 39 states and Puerto Rico in which more than 118,000 interments were conducted last year. In recent years, NCA underwent the single largest expansion of its cemetery system since the Civil War. VA provides grants for construction of state Veterans cemeteries. With 60 state cemeteries in operation and two more under development, there is either a national or state Veterans cemetery in all 50 states, Puerto Rico, and Guam.
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Insurance
VA operates one of the largest life insurance programs in the Nation, administering $729 billion in coverage for 2.8 million Veterans and armed service members, plus 3.1 million surviving spouses and children.
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Homelessness
VA is the only federal agency that provides direct assistance to the homeless.
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VA = VHA, VBA & NCA:
Today's modern VA is a dynamic partnership. We divide our shared mission between three organizations.
The Veterans Health Administration (VHA) manages one of the largest health care systems in the world.
The Veteran Benefits Administration (VBA) supplies compensation and vocational assistance to disabled veterans.
The National Cemetery Administration (NCA) honors Veterans with a final resting place and lasting memorials that commemorate their service to our Nation.
Working as One VA, these organizations proudly provide responsive, timely, and compassionate service to those who served our Nation. The VA also partners with numerous organizations and vendors.
VETERANS HEALTH ADMINISTRATION (VHA)
VHA physicians, nurses, and health care givers provide nearly 5 million Veterans, and their families, per year with quality medical treatment. VHA personnel practice all medical specialties and provide medical and rehabilitative treatment of all kinds, from acute to long term care. We're especially proud of VHA's preeminent role in educating physicians, nurses, and other health care professionals. More than half of the physicians currently practicing in the United States received some part of their training in one of our care facilities.
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VETERANS BENEFITS ADMINISTRATION (VBA)
VBA also provides home loan guaranty, education, and insurance programs. VBA maintains 57 regional offices in the 50 states, Puerto Rico, and the Philippines.
Today more than 13,000 VBA employees are translating the promises of the GI Bill into tangible advantages for Veterans. These committed professionals include specialists in education, home loans, vocational rehabilitation, insurance, information technology, and finance and budget management. Here at VA, your skills can really make a difference!
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NATIONAL CEMETERY ADMINISTRATION (NCA)
Veterans, their spouses, and dependent children are eligible for burial in VA's national cemeteries.
The National Cemetery Administration will provide a headstone or marker for Veterans buried in any cemetery in the world.
NCA also presents Presidential Memorial Certificates bearing the President's signature to acknowledge and commemorate the memory of honorably-discharged, deceased veterans.
NCA completed the largest expansion in its history with the establishment of six national cemeteries in 2009, for a total of 131 in 39 states and Puerto Rico. Many existing cemeteries are being expanded. State Veterans' cemeteries are being built and expanded with funding assistance from VA.
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