VA benefits, healthcare, and claims guidance specific to women who have served — WVPM, MST care under 38 U.S.C. § 1720D, maternity expansion under COMPACT and PACT Acts, and Chapter 35 DEA for dependents.
Educational reference only — not legal, medical, or VA advice. Always work with an accredited VSO or your Women Veteran Program Manager for personalized guidance.
Last updated May 1, 2026 · FY2026 rates · PACT Act-compliant
Bottom line up front
Women veterans now make up the fastest-growing segment of the veteran population. Three rights every woman veteran should know: (1) Every VA medical center has a Women Veteran Program Manager (WVPM) — ask for them at the front desk; you don’t need a referral. (2) MST-related care is free regardless of disability rating, VA enrollment status, or whether the incident was reported during service (38 U.S.C. § 1720D); MST claims use a relaxed evidence standard under 38 C.F.R. § 3.304(f)(5) — you do not need to prove the assault occurred, only marker evidence (transfer requests, performance drops, sick call increases, chaplain visits). (3) The COMPACT Act (2020) and PACT Act (2022) expanded maternity coverage — community maternity care when VA cannot provide it, postpartum coverage to 12 months, and newborn care for 7 days under 38 U.S.C. § 1786. The VA also covers gender-specific primary care including mammography, cervical cancer screening, contraception, menopause management, and osteoporosis screening — all at $0 copay for service-connected conditions. Use the section below for a full breakdown by topic.
This guide was built by Em, a retired U.S. Navy Commander (Medical Service Corps, 20+ years). Page 214 is free, privacy-first, and entirely client-side. Women veterans benefits cited here come from 38 U.S.C. § 1720D (free MST-related care regardless of rating or enrollment status), 38 C.F.R. § 3.304(f)(5) (relaxed evidence standard for MST claims, including marker evidence corroboration), 38 U.S.C. § 1710 (VA healthcare eligibility), 38 C.F.R. § 17.38 (medical benefits package including gender-specific care), 38 U.S.C. § 1786 (newborn care for 7 days), the COMPACT Act (Pub. L. 116-171, 2020 — community maternity care), the PACT Act Section 201 (postpartum coverage extended to 12 months, 2022), and VHA Directive 1330.01 (Women Veteran Program Manager structure at every VA Medical Center). MST stressor statements use VA Form 21-0781a; combat/non-personal-trauma PTSD claims use VA Form 21-0781. Most of these protections apply to all veterans of all genders who experienced MST — the law uses sex-neutral language. This is a guide, not legal or medical advice — for MST claims, working with a VSO experienced in personal-trauma claims (or a clinician at a VA Vet Center, which provides counseling regardless of discharge status) makes a substantial difference. If you are in crisis, call 988 then press 1.
Where Page 214 fitsWe don’t replace professional representation — we strengthen it. Use these tools to learn. Then let a professional help you fight.Why Page 214 →