VA Long-Term Care Benefits for Veterans

Veterans may qualify for VA nursing homes, community care, and Aid and Attendance. Learn which programs exist and who can use them.

Updated 2026

This guide is informational and is not medical advice.

Category: costs-and-payment · Updated 2026

Many families never claim the long-term care benefits available to veterans. The Department of Veterans Affairs (VA) runs its own nursing homes, partners with state veterans homes, pays for community care for eligible veterans, and offers a monthly benefit called Aid and Attendance to those who need help with daily activities. These programs have their own eligibility rules, distinct from Medicare and Medicaid, so a veteran can sometimes stack them.

This guide outlines the main VA long-term care programs. It is educational only. Confirm current eligibility and rates with the VA, since programs and rules change.

VA nursing homes (Community Living Centers)

The VA operates nursing homes, now called Community Living Centers, for eligible veterans. Eligibility generally favors veterans with service-connected conditions or those whose need for care the VA deems medically necessary. Because VA beds are far fewer than the number of veterans, admission is prioritized and can be limited. A VA social worker or the facility's admission office can explain the current criteria.

State veterans homes

Many states run veterans homes, often with VA per diem support, providing nursing home care, domiciliary care, and sometimes adult day care. Eligibility and cost vary by state and by the veteran's service history and income. Contact your state veterans agency and the specific home for admission rules. At some homes spouses may qualify too, so ask.

Community care under the MISSION Act

Under the VA MISSION Act, eligible veterans may receive care in the community, including nursing home and other long-term care, when certain criteria are met—such as the VA being unable to provide the care or the veteran meeting distance or wait-time rules. Authorization must come before care is received, so do not sign a private-pay contract assuming the VA will reimburse it. Work with the VA care team to obtain approval first. See VA Community Care.

Aid and Attendance, and Housebound

Aid and Attendance is an enhanced VA pension benefit for veterans—and in some cases surviving spouses—who need help with daily activities such as bathing, dressing, or eating, or who are bedridden or in a nursing home for reasons beyond their control. Housebound is a related benefit for those substantially confined to home. Both require eligibility for VA pension, which generally involves wartime service and income and asset limits, and neither is automatic. Apply through the VA. These benefits can help offset care costs but are not full nursing home coverage. See VA Aid and Attendance.

Beyond facility care

The VA also offers home-based primary care, respite care, caregiver support, and Veteran-Directed Care, which lets a veteran hire their own workers, sometimes including family, on a budget. The Program of Comprehensive Assistance for Family Caregivers supports certain post-9/11 caregivers. Ask the VA about all of these before assuming a facility is the only option.

Sources: U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs; VA Community Care; VA Aid and Attendance and Housebound; VA Geriatrics and Extended Care.

Related guides

Frequently asked questions

May a surviving spouse receive Aid and Attendance?

In some cases, yes. A surviving spouse eligible for VA survivors pension who needs help with daily activities may qualify. A veteran's dependent child may also qualify. Check with the VA.

Will the VA pay for assisted living?

Sometimes, through community care or a Veteran-Directed Care budget, if the veteran meets eligibility criteria. The VA does not pay assisted living room and board the way Medicaid might. Get authorization before signing.

Can VA benefits be combined with Medicare and Medicaid?

Frequently yes, because the programs have different rules. A VA payment may affect Medicaid income calculations in some states. Report all benefits when you apply and ask how they interact.

How does a VA nursing home differ from a state veterans home?

Community Living Centers are VA-operated. State veterans homes are run by states, often with VA financial support, and their eligibility and cost rules vary by state. Ask each facility directly.

Where should I begin?

Contact your local VA medical center or a VA social worker, and your state veterans agency. They can screen eligibility and start the necessary applications.

Data sources

CMS Provider Data Catalog · CMS Care Compare. This guide is provided for information and is not medical advice. Processing date: 2026-10-06.

Required disclosures

For general information only, not medical advice. This website shares public data and general information. It does not offer medical advice, diagnosis, or treatment guidance, and it cannot replace a consultation with a qualified health care professional or with Medicare.

Independent and unaffiliated. NursingFacilities.org is a private, independently run directory. It is not affiliated with, nor endorsed or operated by, the Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services (CMS), Medicare, or any government agency. CMS has not reviewed or endorsed this site.

Confirm details before acting. Facility records come from public federal datasets and may lag or contain errors. Always verify current ratings, services, availability, and coverage directly with the provider and on Medicare.gov.

Certain outbound links on this site are partner or affiliate links. If you use them we may receive a commission, and your price does not change. This never influences the data we publish.