VA San Diego Healthcare System receives top marks in 2026 CMS report

This marks the fourth consecutive year – every year since CMS began rating VA hospitals – that the healthcare system has earned this prestigious top rating, with only three other hospitals in San Diego County, 29 across California, and 384 nationwide sharing the distinction.

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 Frank P. Pearson, director of VA San Diego 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 David Haas at david.haas2@va.gov, or visit https://www.va.gov/san-diego-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.

David Haas, Acting Public Affairs Officer

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