VA Adds Eye Doctors to Pay Scale for Better Veteran Care
Published Date: 10/24/2025
Notice
Summary
The VA is updating pay ranges for doctors, dentists, podiatrists, and now optometrists working in Veterans Health Administration. Starting December 28, 2025, optometrists will be included in the pay system to help attract and keep top talent for our veterans. This change mixes base pay, market pay, and performance pay to reward skills, location, and great work.
Analyzed Economic Effects
3 provisions identified: 2 benefits, 1 costs, 0 mixed.
VHA Clinical Tier Pay Ranges Raised
The VA updated Pay Table 1 and Pay Table 2 minimums and maximums effective December 28, 2025. Pay Table 1 tier ranges are now: Tier 1 $123,077–$315,000, Tier 2 $145,000–$335,000, Tier 3 $165,000–$350,000; Pay Table 2 tier ranges are now: Tier 1 $123,077–$400,000, Tier 2 $200,000–$400,000, Tier 3 $225,000–$400,000. The Tier 1 minimum was increased consistent with the January 12, 2025 General Adjustment (Pay Table 1 Tier 1 increased from $121,000 to $123,077; Pay Table 2 Tier 1 increased from $115,587 to $123,077).
Optometrists Added to VHA Pay
If you are an optometrist working for the Veterans Health Administration, you will be included in the VHA physician/dentist/podiatrist pay system starting December 28, 2025. Optometrists are authorized by Public Law 118-210 (signed January 2, 2025) to receive base pay, market pay, and performance pay and are subject to the same limitations and requirements as physicians, dentists, and podiatrists.
Cap on Total VHA Clinician Pay
Under 38 U.S.C. 7431(e)(4), the total amount of compensation paid to a VHA physician, podiatrist, optometrist, or dentist in any year cannot exceed the annual compensation of the President. For this limit, "total amount of compensation" includes base pay, market pay, performance pay, and fee-basis earnings, while recruitment, relocation, and retention incentives and certain performance awards are excluded from the calculation per the PACT Act.
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