Northern Arizona VA Health Care System has achieved a remarkable feat by securing a 5-star rating in the Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services (CMS) Overall Hospital Quality Star Rating report. This marks the fourth consecutive year the facility has received this top score.
The star ratings evaluate hospitals across five categories: mortality, safety, readmission, patient experience, and timely care. A higher rating reflects better performance. According to Steven Sample, Executive Director of the Northern Arizona VA Health Care System, this rating highlights the team’s commitment to delivering quality care to Veterans.
Nationwide, 78% of VA hospitals earned a four or five-star rating in 2026. This is notable progress; two years ago, only 67% scored that high. Here’s a quick look at the improving ratings over the past years:
– 2023: 67%
– 2024: 58%
– 2025: 77%
– 2026: 78%
The continuous improvement is significant. VA facilities are now performing better than non-VA care, ensuring Veterans receive timely and high-quality service.
In recent years, the VA has taken steps to enhance the health care experience for Veterans. For instance, they’ve enrolled over 125,000 new Veterans in 2026 alone. Since January 2025, 35 new facilities have opened, improving access to care. Furthermore, they’ve reduced the backlog for benefits claims by 70%, providing timely support to those who served.
Veterans are also benefiting from expanded appointment options. In FY2025, there were over 82 million direct care appointments, up by 4.1% from the previous year. The VA even provided more than 2.5 million appointments outside of regular hours, giving Veterans flexibility and convenience for their health needs.
These efforts to improve care for Veterans have made a real difference. This year’s CMS report is just one reflection of a broader trend toward enhancing health care quality and accessibility for our nation’s heroes.
For further details on these ratings, check out the star ratings and the methodology for these ratings.
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