Your Yearly VA Health Assessment: What Happens, Whether It's Required, and How to Use It
Updated September 2026 · Checked against VA.gov and 38 CFR · Sources below
On this page
- Quick answer: does the VA do annual physicals?
- VA visit vs C&P exam vs Medicare wellness visit
- What your PACT team checks at a yearly visit
- The standard VA screening questions (and why they matter)
- How to prepare and what to bring
- Using your visit to document conditions for a disability claim
- How to schedule (online, secure message, phone)
- What it costs
- Common questions
Quick answer: does the VA do annual physicals?
This section is being written. See the short answer above and the sources below for what is already confirmed.
VA visit vs C&P exam vs Medicare wellness visit
This section is being written. See the short answer above and the sources below for what is already confirmed.
What your PACT team checks at a yearly visit
This section is being written. See the short answer above and the sources below for what is already confirmed.
The standard VA screening questions (and why they matter)
This section is being written. See the short answer above and the sources below for what is already confirmed.
How to prepare and what to bring
This section is being written. See the short answer above and the sources below for what is already confirmed.
Using your visit to document conditions for a disability claim
This section is being written. See the short answer above and the sources below for what is already confirmed.
How to schedule (online, secure message, phone)
This section is being written. See the short answer above and the sources below for what is already confirmed.
What it costs
This section is being written. See the short answer above and the sources below for what is already confirmed.
Common questions
- Are annual VA physicals mandatory?
- No. Declining does not affect your VA disability compensation or enrollment. However, VA providers generally will not keep renewing prescriptions without periodic visits and lab work.
- Is a VA annual physical the same as a C&P exam?
- No. The annual visit is health care from your PACT team; a C&P exam is a one-time evaluation ordered by the Veterans Benefits Administration to rate a disability claim.
- What does the VA check at a yearly visit?
- Vitals, weight, labs such as cholesterol and blood sugar, medication review, age-appropriate cancer screenings, and standard VA screens for depression, PTSD, alcohol, tobacco, MST and toxic exposure.
- How do I schedule a VA physical?
- Use online scheduling at VA.gov or My HealtheVet, send a secure message to your PACT team, or call your facility's primary care clinic or VA Health Connect line.
- Can I use my VA visit to support a disability claim?
- Yes. Ask your provider to document symptoms, request hearing tests, sleep studies or specialty referrals, and get copies of records through My HealtheVet Blue Button; these records are evidence for a claim.
Sources
- VA primary care staff refer veterans who screen positive for depression, PTSD, homelessness or substance dependency to mental health the same day.
- A VA annual exam can include cardiovascular and respiratory checks, skin screening, blood count and cholesterol labs, BMI, and age- and gender-appropriate cancer screenings.
- VA recommends screening all veterans for alcohol abuse, depression, high blood pressure, HIV, MST, obesity, PTSD and tobacco use.
- The outpatient primary care copay for priority group 7-8 veterans is $15 per visit.
- Under the PACT Act, VA offers enrolled veterans a toxic exposure screening at least every five years.
Related guides
VA Health Care
Every guide in this section
VA Preventive Care Schedule: Every Screening and Vaccine Veterans Should Get, by Age
VA Health Care
Finding a VA Primary Care Provider: Getting Assigned, Your PACT Team, and Switching
VA Health Care
C&P Exam Preparation: What to Expect and How to Prepare
Disability, Claims & Pension
Medical Evidence Requirements for VA Disability Claims
Disability, Claims & Pension
VA Benefits and Medicare: How They Work Together and Whether You Need Part B
VA Health Care
VA Mental Health Services Guide: How to Get Care, Even If You've Never Used VA
VA Health Care
This guide is general information, not legal or financial advice, and Veterans Alliance is not affiliated with the U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs. Rules and rates change; the linked VA.gov pages are always the authoritative source.