VA Salt Lake City Health Care System receives top marks in 2026 CMS 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. 

“Our teams have demonstrated resilience, innovation, and a deep commitment to excellence in Veteran care,” said Dr. Angela D. Williams, executive director of VASLCHCS. “While we are never satisfied with anything less than the highest standard of care for Veterans, this rating deepens our resolve for the mission.” 

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 Apollo Burgamy at jared.burgamy@va.gov or , or visit www.va.gov/salt-lake-city-health-care/.   

This year’s CMS report is just one example of how VA is working better for Veterans. Among other improvements, VA has: 

• Enrolled more than 125,000 new Veterans in VA health care in 2026.
• Opened 35 new VA health care facilities since Jan. 20, 2025, expanding health care access for Veterans around the country.
• Reduced the backlog of Veterans waiting for VA benefits by 70% since Jan. 20, 2025, after it increased 24% during the prior administration.
• Completed 82,083,918 direct care appointments in FY2025, up 4.1% from FY2024.
• Offered Veterans more than 2.5 million appointments outside of normal operating hours, giving Veterans more timely and convenient options for care.
• Permanently housed 51,936 homeless Veterans across the country in FY2025, the highest total in seven years. 

Apollo Burgamy, Public Affairs Specialist