WASHINGTON, D.C. — Nearly four out of five U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs hospitals earned four- or five-star quality ratings in the latest federal hospital rankings, extending the VA system’s multiyear performance advantage over non-VA facilities as the agency pushes to improve care delivery and reduce operational backlogs.
The Department of Veterans Affairs reported that 78% of rated VA hospitals received four or five stars in the latest annual hospital quality review issued by the Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services, the highest share since CMS began separately rating VA facilities in 2023.
VA hospitals also accounted for nearly 15% of all five-star hospitals included in the 2026 CMS report, according to the department.
The results mark the fourth consecutive year VA facilities outperformed non-VA hospitals in aggregate ratings and the second straight year no VA hospital received a one-star rating.
The data provides a high-profile performance benchmark for the VA healthcare system as federal officials continue facing political scrutiny over veterans’ access to care, appointment delays, staffing shortages, and benefits processing.
The share of VA hospitals earning four or five stars rose from 67% in 2023 to 77% in 2025 before increasing again to 78% in the latest report. The agency attributed the drop to 58% in 2024 to methodology changes tied to the CMS ratings system.
VA Secretary Doug Collins linked the latest rankings to broader operational changes implemented during the Trump administration.
“The Trump Administration has a proven track record of improving Veterans’ care, and these ratings underscore that success,” Collins said.
The department also pointed to broader operational metrics it argued reflect expanding healthcare capacity across the VA system.
According to the VA, the agency enrolled more than 140,000 new veterans into healthcare programs in 2026, opened 35 healthcare facilities since January 2025, and reduced its benefits backlog by 70% from levels recorded at the start of the administration.
The department additionally reported completing more than 82 million direct-care appointments during fiscal 2025, up 4.1% from the prior year, while providing more than 2.5 million appointments outside normal operating hours.
The VA also reported permanently housing 51,936 homeless veterans during fiscal 2025, which the agency described as the highest annual total in seven years.
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