Houston VA receives top marks in 2026 CMS report
PRESS RELEASE
May 18, 2026
Houston, TX - The Michael E. DeBakey VA Medical Center announced today that it received a 5-star rating in the Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services’ annual Overall Hospital Quality Star Rating report.
CMS’ Overall Hospital Quality Star Ratings are based on five categories: mortality, safety of care, readmission, patient experience, and timely and effective care. A higher star rating, out of five, indicates better performance along these quality measures.
“Receiving a 5-star rating from CMS is a reflection of the dedication our entire team brings to caring for Veterans every day,” said Amir Farooqi, executive director of the Houston VA Healthcare System. “This rating underscores our commitment to delivering safe, timely and high-quality care, and we are proud to contribute to VA’s continued nationwide excellence.”
Nationwide, 78% of VA hospitals that received a rating received an Overall Hospital Quality Star Rating of four or five stars in 2026.
This is the fourth consecutive year that VA has outperformed non-VA care, and the second year in a row that no VA hospital received a one-star rating. The percentage of VA hospitals receiving four or five stars has grown dramatically in the last two years:
- 2023, 67%
- 2024, 58%
- 2025, 77%
- 2026, 78%
View the star ratings for each facility and methodology for the ratings.
For more information, please contact Maureen Dyman at Maureen.dyman@va.gov or
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