Combat Veterans Pre-Enrollment Act of 2025

This bill would let certain combat veterans sign up for VA health care before they leave active duty. The goal is to make the switch from military to civilian care smoother, so veterans can start getting VA care right away when they separate. It must be set up by October 1, 2027, and it will run as a pilot program for three years. After it ends, an independent review will look at how well it worked and suggest improvements .

Who it affects: veterans who served in a combat theater after the Gulf War or fought hostile forces after November 11, 1998. These service members could choose to pre-enroll in VA health care during the 180 days before they separate. VA will work with the Department of Defense and the Department of Homeland Security to set up this pre-enrollment process, and they will provide updates and data on how it’s going, including basic demographics of who participates .

• Who is affected: combat veterans from recent eras as defined above
• What changes: option to pre-enroll in VA health care up to 180 days before leaving service; VA, DoD, and DHS set up the process; regular updates and a final review are required
• When: program must be in place by October 1, 2027; it ends three years after the law takes effect; a government report follows two years later