Veterans Benefits and Long-Term Care
Veterans and their surviving spouses may be able to get help paying for long-term care from the Department of Veterans Affairs (VA), in addition to or instead of Medicaid. The best-known benefit is the VA pension with Aid and Attendance, but the VA also runs nursing homes, contracts with community facilities, pays some family caregivers and offers home care programs. VA and Medicaid rules interact in ways that surprise many families. This section explains each benefit and how it fits with Long-Term Care Medicaid.
Figures change periodically. Double-check current amounts before relying on them.
The short version
- The VA pension is needs-based. It is for wartime veterans (and surviving spouses) with limited income and net worth, and it is larger for people who need help with daily activities (Aid and Attendance) or are housebound.
- The VA has its own look-back of 36 months for asset transfers, with penalties of up to five years. It is different from Medicaid’s five-year look-back.
- VA nursing home care is available through VA Community Living Centers, state veterans homes and contracted community nursing homes, with eligibility and costs depending on service-connected disability and other factors.
- Some VA programs pay family caregivers.
- VA benefits affect Medicaid. Some parts count as income for Medicaid and some do not, and a veteran on Medicaid in a nursing home may see their pension reduced to $90 a month.
Guides in this section
- VA pensions: Aid and Attendance and Housebound
- VA pension eligibility
- The VA look-back and net worth rules
- VA nursing homes
- VA pension vs. Medicaid: which is better?
- Selling a home while on a VA pension
- Getting paid by the VA as a family caregiver
- How VA benefits count for Medicaid
Tools
Where to start
If a veteran or surviving spouse needs help at home or in assisted living, start with VA pensions and VA pension eligibility. If a nursing home is likely, read VA pension vs. Medicaid and How VA benefits count for Medicaid before moving any assets, because a step that helps with one program can hurt with the other.
Applying for VA benefits is free. Accredited veterans service officers, accredited agents and accredited attorneys can help with VA claims, and federal rules limit when fees can be charged for that help. For combined VA and Medicaid planning, an experienced professional such as a Certified Medicaid Planner can explain how the two programs work together.
Last updated for 2026. General information only, not legal or financial advice. Medicaid Answers is a free educational resource published by Medicaid Answers Foundation.