How to Get Medical Records From the Veterans Administration

Veterans may need to obtain their medical records when they apply for health or disability benefits or when they are obtaining treatment from a private health-care provider. The Freedom of Information Act (FOIA) and the Privacy Act were enacted to balance the public's right to obtain information from military service records and protect the veteran's privacy. You have the right to request your own military medical records and personnel records and to authorize the release of those records to third parties. Requests for military medical records and personnel records must be in writing, signed and dated by the veteran or deceased veteran's next-of-kin or authorized representative.

Things You'll Need

• Form 10-5345, Request for and Authorization to Release Medical Records or Health Information
• Form DD-214, Report of Separation
• Social security number
• Date of service
• Discharge date
• Death certificate, letter from mortuary or copy of obituary notice, if applicable

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Instructions

VA Medical Records

• 1

  Contact each local VA medical treatment center where you were treated, either by visiting them in person or in writing to request your medical records. You can find the location of VA centers by visiting the U.S. Department of Veteran's Affair's website.

• 2

  Sign a written request on VA Form 10-5345, Request for and Authorization to Release Medical Records or Health Information (see Resources). Wait for the administration center's records department to copy the documents for you if you go there in person, and ask the radiology department if they can put your radiology reports and any MRI's on a CD. You can also mail the release form to them, or send them a letter with the dates you were seen, your social security number, the type of records you want released and where to send them. Be sure to include your social security number and your service number.

• 3

  Send a letter or a signed and completed Form DD 214, Report of Separation to the National Archives and Record's Administration's National Personnel Records Center, Military Personnel Records division (NARA's NPRC-MPR) in St. Louis to request medical records and/or personnel records for discharged or deceased military members. Requests made by authorized family members or third parties must be accompanied by a copy of the veteran's death certificate, letter from the funeral home or copy of the obituary notice. Records for dependent family members of discharged or deceased members who have been treated at any VA medical facility are also stored at the NARA NPRC-MPR facility. You will need to provide the military member's social security number, service number, date of discharge, branch of military and date of birth. Records for military members prior to WWI are stored at the National Archive building in Washington, D.C. and must be obtained by sending a written request on NATF Form 86 or ordered online at the National Archive's website.

• 4

  Obtain assistance from a VA counselor if you need help locating your VA medical records or a deceased family service member's records. Check online at the VA website for the closest VA medical facility near you. Call or make an appointment to talk to the VA counselor.