My HealtheVet on VA.gov Guide: Secure Messages, Refills, Records, and Appointments
My HealtheVet moved into the VA.gov experience in 2025. That means veterans now manage medications, secure messages, health records, and appointments through VA.gov tools. The common failures are sign-in friction, old bookmarks, messages in the wrong team, refill timing, missing records, and confusion over what legacy My HealtheVet still does.
Educational guide based on VA public My HealtheVet information. For emergencies or crisis care, use emergency services or the Veterans Crisis Line, not secure messaging. Last verified: July 8, 2026.
How to handle My HealtheVet
Stop using old bookmarks as truth
VA says My HealtheVet tools moved to VA.gov. If an old page looks broken, navigate from VA.gov sign-in or the current My HealtheVet home page.
Confirm your sign-in method
Use a supported VA sign-in path and keep recovery email/phone current. A health portal is useless when the only trusted phone number is dead.
Use secure messages for non-urgent care
Secure messages are for routine care-team communication. They are not for emergencies, same-day crisis, or urgent medication gaps.
Request refills before the last week
Refills need processing and shipping/pickup time. Track medication name, Rx number, refill status, and pharmacy.
Download records before appointments or claims
Records can support outside care, VA claims, second opinions, and medication reconciliation. Save key labs, notes, problem lists, immunizations, and medication lists.
Use appointment data as a cross-check
Portal appointment listings help, but call the clinic if instructions, location, modality, or preparation are unclear.
The problems people actually search for
My HealtheVet looks gone or broken.
Usually means: You may be on a legacy page or browser state after the VA.gov transition.
Move: Close the browser, start from VA.gov sign-in or current My HealtheVet home, and avoid old deep bookmarks.
My secure message disappeared or went to the wrong place.
Usually means: Care teams, message categories, facility association, or migration state may be wrong.
Move: Record message date, subject, team, facility, and requested action. Follow up by phone if time-sensitive.
My refill is not showing.
Usually means: The prescription may be expired, not refillable, at a different VA pharmacy, already processing, or not migrated/displayed as expected.
Move: Use medication name, Rx number, facility, and refill status when contacting pharmacy.
Records are missing.
Usually means: Legacy records, community care records, scanned documents, or recent notes may not appear where expected.
Move: Identify date, facility, clinic, provider, and record type. Ask Release of Information or the clinic where that record lives.
The appointment tool shows different info than the clinic.
Usually means: The portal may lag schedule changes or omit local instructions.
Move: Call the clinic for prep instructions, arrival time, location, and virtual/in-person format.
I cannot sign in after changing phone/email.
Usually means: Identity verification and MFA recovery data are stale.
Move: Use VA sign-in help and update recovery methods immediately after regaining access.
Where people usually get stuck
A veteran sends a secure message for urgent symptoms.
Legacy My HealtheVet link creates false access problems.
Medication runs out before refill processing.
A missing portal record is assumed nonexistent.
Build the proof packet before you escalate
- Sign-in method used and exact error if access fails.
- Message date, subject, care team/facility, and screenshot of sent message or missing thread.
- Medication name, Rx number, facility, refill request date, and status.
- Record missing: date, facility, clinic, provider, document type, and whether it was VA/community care.
- Appointment: date, clinic, provider, location, virtual/in-person status, and conflicting instructions.
- Phone call log with pharmacy, clinic, ROI, or VA sign-in support.
Things that make the problem worse
Who can actually fix it
Care team / clinic
For medical questions, message routing, appointments, and care instructions.
VA pharmacy
For refill status, expired prescriptions, shipping, and medication holds.
Release of Information / medical records
For missing records, community care documentation, and official copies.
VA.gov sign-in support
For identity, MFA, locked account, and sign-in recovery.
Copy/paste messages that get cleaner answers
Secure message follow-up
Subject: Follow-up on secure message sent [date] I sent a secure message on [date] to [team/facility] about [topic]. Requested action: [refill/question/records/appointment/etc.] Patient: [name/last four] Callback number: [phone] Message subject: [subject] Please confirm whether this message is with the correct care team or if I should contact another clinic/pharmacy.
Missing VA health record
Subject: Missing health record in VA.gov/My HealtheVet I am looking for a record that is not visible online. Date of care: [date] Facility: [facility] Clinic/provider: [clinic] Record type: [lab/note/imaging/medication/community care/etc.] Reason needed: [care coordination/claim/personal record] Can you confirm whether this is in VA records, community care records, scanned documents, or requires a Release of Information request?
Fast answers
Did My HealtheVet move?
Yes. VA says that on June 4, 2025, My HealtheVet transitioned to the new VA.gov experience for records, medications, and messages.
Can I use secure messaging for urgent care?
No. Use emergency care, crisis support, urgent care, nurse/clinic phone lines, or other immediate care routes.
Why are records missing?
They may be legacy, scanned, community care, recent/unreleased, or filed under a different facility/encounter.
What should I track for refills?
Medication name, Rx number, facility, request date, status, pickup/shipping expectation, and who you called.