OBJECTIVES: To examine the prevalence and incidence rates among patients with drug dependence (DD) in the United States Veterans Health Administration (VHA) population. METHODS: The study sample was based on the VHA Medical SAS data sets from fiscal year 2011-2015. All patients diagnosed with DD during the study period were identified using the International Classification of Diseases, 9^th Revision, Clinical Modification diagnosis code: 304. Prevalence and incidence were calculated among patients with continuous enrollment throughout that calendar year and ≥2 years prior. Using sex-specific age groups, the age- and sex-adjusted prevalence and incidence rates were calculated using direct standardization among patients aged ≥65 years in 2010. RESULTS: The annual adjusted overall prevalence of patients with DD increased from 0.16% (2011) to 0.27% (2015), whereas the annual overall incidence rate decreased from 0.19% (2011) to 0.12% (2015). Male patients had higher prevalence and incidence rates compared to female patients across all study years. From 2011 to 2015, patients aged 65-69 years had the highest prevalence and incidence rates, ranging from 0.48% to 0.80% and 0.38% to 0.22%, respectively. Prevalence and incidence rates were observed to decrease with advancing age. Prevalence was highest among Black patients in 2011 (0.46%), 2012 (0.53%), 2013 (0.58%), 2014 (0.63%), and 2015 (0.67%). Incidence of DD were highest among Black patients in 2011 (0.55%), 2012 (0.36%), 2013 (0.27%), 2014 (0.34%), and 2015 (0.21%). CONCLUSIONS: As compared to 2011, US veterans diagnosed with DD had higher prevalence but lower incidence from 2012 to 2015. Age-, sex-, and race-adjusted incidence rates decreased from 2011 to 2015. Black male patients aged 65-69 years were more likely to be diagnosed with DD.