Annual Pay Ranges – Effective December 28 2025
“Addition of Optometrists to the VHA Physicians, Dentists, and Podiatrists Pay System” on behalf of the Office of Workforce Management and Consulting (WMC).
BACKGROUND: The Senator Elizabeth Dole 21st Century Veterans Healthcare and Benefits Improvement Act, Public Law (P.L.) 118-210, was signed into law on January 2, 2025. Section 142, Modification of Pay Limitation for Physicians, Podiatrists, Optometrists, and Dentists of the Department of Veterans Affairs, provides that VHA Optometrists be paid from the same pay system as VHA Physicians, Dentists, and Podiatrists (38 U.S.C. 7431). The VHA Physician, Dentist and Podiatrist (PDP) Steering Committee was convened on March 5, 2025, to make a recommendation to the Under Secretary and the Secretary for pay table placement and annual salary rates for Optometry. On October 21, 2025, the Secretary approved the placement of Optometry on Pay Table 1. Before going into effect, these changes must be published in the Federal Register and can be implemented following a 60-day notice period.
The Federal Register Notice (FRN) published Friday, October 24, 2025, prescribes the appropriate pay table and the clinical assignments for Optometrists that will be effective December 28, 2025. There were no other changes to the pay ranges or clinical assignments.
NOTE: To adequately prepare for the pay system changes, Optometrist Special Salary Rate (SSR) Tables will no longer be accepted on or after November 2, 2025.
Additional operational instructions on conversion procedures for Optometrists will be sent directly to VHA Human Resources (HR) Offices.
ACTION REQUESTED: N/A
PROGRAM AREA: WMC HR Center of Expertise (HRCoE) Compensation.
DUE DATE: N/A
QUESTIONS: If you have any questions, please contact WMC HR CoE Compensation Office, at VHA 106A WMC COE PDP Exec Pay <VHA106AWMCCOEPDPEXECPay@va.gov>.
ENCLOSURES:
- Annual Pay Ranges – Effective December 28, 2025