Healthcare for Women Veterans: What the VA Provides and What You Need to Know

Women are the fastest-growing demographic in the veteran population. More than two million women have served in the U.S. military, and the number of women veterans using VA healthcare has more than tripled in the past two decades. The VA has expanded women’s health services significantly, but many women veterans still do not know what services are available to them, do not feel comfortable seeking care at VA facilities, or assume the VA only serves men. None of that is true. Here is what you need to know.

The VA Provides Comprehensive Women’s Healthcare

Every VA medical center has a Women Veterans Program Manager (WVPM) and provides gender-specific healthcare services. These services include primary care from providers trained in women’s health, gynecological care including annual exams, contraception, and menopause management, breast cancer screening including mammography, cervical cancer screening, maternity care and prenatal services (the VA covers the full cost of maternity care for enrolled women veterans), infertility evaluation and treatment including in vitro fertilization (IVF) for veterans with service-connected conditions affecting fertility, osteoporosis screening and treatment, and mental health services including treatment for conditions that disproportionately affect women veterans such as military sexual trauma, PTSD, depression, and anxiety.

Maternity Care Through the VA

The VA covers the full cost of maternity care for enrolled women veterans, including prenatal care, labor and delivery, and postpartum care for up to 12 months after delivery. If your VA medical center does not have obstetric services, the VA will authorize maternity care through a community provider at no cost to you. This is one of the most valuable and least known VA benefits for women veterans. You do not need a service-connected condition to receive VA maternity care. You need to be enrolled in VA healthcare. If you are pregnant or planning to become pregnant, contact your VA primary care team or your facility’s Women Veterans Program Manager to discuss your maternity care options.

Military Sexual Trauma (MST) Services

Military sexual trauma refers to sexual assault or repeated, threatening sexual harassment that occurred during military service. The VA provides free treatment for physical and mental health conditions related to MST to all veterans, regardless of whether they reported the incident during service, whether they have a service-connected disability claim, or whether they are enrolled in VA healthcare. You do not even need to have a VA disability rating related to MST to receive MST-related care. Every VA medical center has an MST Coordinator who can connect you with treatment services. You can receive MST-related care even if you are not eligible for other VA healthcare services. This is one of the broadest eligibility provisions in the VA system.

Privacy and Comfort at VA Facilities

The VA has invested in creating environments where women veterans feel safe and respected. Many VA medical centers now have dedicated women’s health clinics that provide comprehensive care in a single location, reducing the need to navigate multiple departments in a facility that may feel male-dominated. If your VA facility does not have a dedicated women’s clinic, you still have the right to request a female provider for any appointment. Your VA medical center’s Women Veterans Program Manager is your advocate for ensuring that your healthcare experience is comfortable, respectful, and responsive to your needs. If you experience any environment at a VA facility that feels unwelcoming or unsafe, contact the WVPM or the patient advocate.

Women Veterans and VA Community Care

If your VA medical center cannot provide the women’s health services you need within the access standards established by the MISSION Act, you may be eligible for community care. This means you can see a community OB/GYN, community mammography center, or other women’s health specialist at VA expense. The same community care eligibility rules apply for women’s health services as for all other VA healthcare — if the VA cannot provide the care within the required wait time or drive time standards, community care is an option. Talk to your VA primary care team or Women Veterans Program Manager about community care eligibility for any women’s health services you need.

Childcare During VA Appointments

One of the biggest barriers to healthcare access for women veterans is childcare. The VA has recognized this barrier and many VA medical centers now offer on-site childcare or childcare stipends for veterans attending VA appointments. The VA Child Care Pilot Program provides drop-in childcare at participating VA facilities during your medical appointments. If your VA facility participates, you can use this service at no cost. If your facility does not offer childcare, ask your Women Veterans Program Manager about alternative childcare resources available to veterans in your area. Do not skip healthcare appointments because you cannot find childcare — the VA is actively working to eliminate this barrier.

Your Rights as a Woman Veteran

You have the right to receive healthcare in a safe, respectful environment. You have the right to request a female provider. You have the right to receive gender-specific care that addresses your health needs comprehensively. You have the right to be treated as a veteran, not as a dependent or spouse. If anyone at a VA facility questions your veteran status or makes you feel unwelcome, report it to the patient advocate and the Women Veterans Program Manager. The VA is your healthcare system. You earned it through service.

YOU SERVED. YOU EARNED THIS.

Women veterans are veterans. The VA provides comprehensive women’s healthcare including maternity care, gynecology, breast cancer screening, MST treatment, mental health services, and more. If you are not using VA healthcare, you may be leaving significant benefits unused. Contact your nearest VA medical center or call 1-855-829-6636 (Women Veterans Call Center) to get started.