About Long Term Care for Veterans

The first are benefits provided to veterans who have service-connected disabilities, who are receiving VA Pension or who are considered low income. These services include free medical care, possible free prescription drugs, orthotics and prosthetics, home renovation grants for disabilities, home care, assisted living, domiciliary care, nursing home care, and a possible host of other services or benefits.

The second benefit is state veterans homes. The majority of these homes offer nursing care but some may offer assisted living or domiciliary care. The Department of Veterans Affairs in conjunction with the states, helps build and support state veterans homes. Money is provided to help with construction and a federal subsidy of $67.71 a day is provided for each veteran using state veterans nursing home services. These homes are generally available for most veterans and sometimes their spouses and in some cases so-called "Goldstar parents." Veterans homes are run by the states, sometimes with the help of contract management. There may be waiting lists in some states.

The third benefit for veterans are disability income programs. The least known of these is a program officially called "pension" but popularly known as the "aid and attendance benefit."

All active-duty veterans who served at least 90 days during a period of war are eligible for this pension and the additional income from aid and attendance or housebound allowances. A single surviving spouse of such a veteran is also eligible.

Veterans' service would include World War II, the Korean Conflict, the Vietnam Conflict Era and the Gulf War Conflict. The surviving spouse and dependent children are also eligible for a lesser pension benefit and allowance.

All qualifying veteran applicants over the age of 65 are eligible for pension but must meet income and asset tests. Applicants under the age of 65 must be totally disabled to qualify. A surviving spouse can be any age and there is no need for disability.

This benefit can pay up to $1,800 a month to provide extra income for the costs associated with home care, assisted living, nursing homes and other unreimbursed medical expenses. The amount of payment varies with the type of care, recipient income and the marital status of the recipient. There are income and asset tests to qualify. VA claims this benefit is only for low income veterans but a quirk in the way the benefit is calculated for long term care could allow veteran households earning between $3,000 and $5,000 or more a month to qualify.

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