The VA has launched a new web feature and new phone number designed to ease frustrations faced by veterans trying to connect with services and resources.

Beneficiaries now can update their contact information via their VA.gov profile, and the change will synchronize across VA networks. Veterans can enter demographic information – including a phone number, email addresses, home addresses, and disability ratings one time and have it change across networks addressing health care, disability compensation, pension benefits, claims and appeals, and the Veteran Readiness and Employment (VR&E) program. 

Previously, if a veteran needed to change any demographic information, he or she would be required to call each individual VA network where that information is on file.

(Veterans still must connect with separate offices to change details regarding education and home loan benefits, CHAMPVA, Veterans’ Mortgage Life Insurance, and The Foreign Medical Program.)

Step-by-step instructions on changing your address are available at this link.

24-Hour Hotline

The administration also has officially launched the My VA hotline, which will serve as the starting point to all VA contact centers and will help veterans find the right person to address their needs.

Veterans can call 1-800-MyVA411 (1-800-698-2411) with the option to press 0 to be immediately connected with a customer service agent to answer questions or connect to the appropriate VA expert. The hotline operates 24 hours a day, 365 days a year.

The VA conducted a pilot phase of the hotline from Oct. 1, 2019, to Sept. 31 of this year, per a VA press release. During that time, more than 1.3 million people called the VA contact center.

The VA also maintains the Veterans Crisis Line at 1-800-273-8255, by chat at veteranscrisisline.net and by text message at 838255. The VA also maintains the White House VA Hotline at 1-855-948-2311 which can be used “for Veterans and their families to share compliments and concerns,” per the release.