Department of Veterans Affairs medical centers outpaced the private sector in quality, safety and performance, according to the annual Overall Hospital Quality Star Rating report released by the Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services (CMS) in May.

The independent federal review found that 78% of rated VA hospitals achieved four or five stars. This is the highest percentage of top-tier ratings for the agency since CMS began integrating VA facilities into its national scoring metrics in 2023. Additionally, VA medical facilities account for nearly 15% of all five-star-rated hospitals nationwide for 2026.

The data marks the fourth consecutive year that VA facilities have, on average, outperformed non-VA private sector hospitals in the annual assessment. For the second straight year, no VA hospital received a one-star rating.

The high marks come during a period of significant growth and strain on the system. So far in 2026, the VA has enrolled more than 140,000 new veterans and opened 35 new clinical facilities to manage the influx. To help accommodate working veterans, the system also added more than 2.5 million appointments outside standard business hours.

While veterans frequently face administrative roadblocks and wait times while accessing the system, the CMS data indicates that the clinical care delivered inside VA facilities remains highly competitive with, and often superior to, private sector alternatives.