VA changed how veterans sign in online. Here’s how to make sure the veteran in your life isn’t locked out of the benefits they earned.
Every Veterans Day, we say thank you. This year, we’re asking you to add something to it: sit down with a veteran you love and make sure they can still get into VA.gov.
Over the past year and a half, VA retired its older sign-in options. The My HealtheVet username and password stopped working in March 2025, and DS Logon ended on September 30, 2025. Now the only ways in are a Login.gov or ID.me account. That’s a sound security change. But for a veteran who hasn’t signed in for a while, it can look like the door has closed: the old password doesn’t work, the new account asks for a photo of an ID. Now, a prescription refill or claim update that used to take two minutes is suddenly out of reach.
Many veterans won’t ask for help with this. So this Veterans Day, offer it.
Step 1: Check that they can sign in
Go to VA.gov together and select Sign in. If they already use Login.gov or ID.me, sign in and you’re done. If not, help them create one:
- Login.gov is the government’s own sign-in service. It works best for veterans who have a valid state ID or driver’s license and a phone registered in their name.
- ID.me is a private company that works with VA. Choose it if the veteran doesn’t have a current state ID, doesn’t have a phone in their own name, or has a PO box listed on their ID. ID.me can also confirm identity over a video call.
Both are free. If you get stuck, VA’s sign-in help line is 877-327-0022.
Step 2: Make sure no one else is in the account
Ask, gently, whether anyone has ever charged them to help with a claim or asked for their VA.gov password. Scammers known as claim sharks present themselves as consultants or coaches, ask veterans to pay to file a disability claim, and often take a percentage of future benefits. No one can legally charge a veteran to help prepare or file an initial VA claim. Accredited Veterans Service Organizations, such as DAV, VFW and the American Legion, and county veteran service officers do it for free.
If a claims company or a so-called coach has their password, change it today. To check whether a helper is legitimate, look them up in VA’s accredited representative search on VA.gov. Report suspected claim sharks to the VA Office of Inspector General at 800-488-8244.
Step 3: Practice the one thing they’ll use most
Once they’re in, practice the task that matters to them: refilling a prescription, sending a secure message to their care team, checking a claim’s status, or joining a VA Video Connect appointment. Let them do the clicking. The goal is that next month, they can do it without you.
Step 4: Check the charity before you give
Fake veteran charities ask for donations heavily around Veterans Day. Before you give, look the charity up on Charity Navigator or Give.org, and donate through the organization’s own website rather than a link in a text message or social media post.
If Your Organization Serves Veterans
Sign-in problems are likely already showing up at your front desk. digitalLIFT’s Online Health Tools Workshop walks participants through VA telehealth and patient portals, and our Public Benefits Enrollment training prepares staff and Digital Navigators to help people through online benefits systems. Learn more at digitallift.org.
Thank you to every veteran for your service. This year, let’s make sure the thanks comes with a working password.
Resources mentioned:
- VA.gov sign-in help: 877-327-0022
- Report a claim shark: VA Office of Inspector General, 800-488-8244
- Online Health Tools Workshop: digitallift.org/workshops
- Public Benefits Enrollment training: digitallift.org/specialized
- Veterans Crisis Line: 988 or Text sms:838255
Comments are closed.