A veteran is eligible for VA home care services when three things are true: they are enrolled in VA health care, VA finds a clinical need for the specific service, and the service is available where they live. For most of these programs VA sets no minimum disability rating, though a copay can apply. Aid and Attendance and the family caregiver stipend are separate benefits with their own rules.
Who is eligible for the veterans home care program?
There is no single “veterans home care program.” VA runs several home and community based services, and each uses nearly the same test. You are eligible if:
- you are enrolled in VA health care
- VA decides you meet the clinical criteria for the service after assessing your needs
- the service is available in your area
For services delivered by a community agency, such as an aide or adult day program, the veteran must also be eligible for community care. See VA’s community care eligibility page.
To enroll at all, you must have served in the active military, naval or air service without a dishonorable discharge. Veterans who enlisted after September 7, 1980 generally need 24 continuous months of service, with exceptions. See VA’s eligibility page.
Which VA programs pay for or support care at home?
Services vary by location. Here is how VA describes each program:
| VA program | What it provides | Who qualifies |
|---|---|---|
| Homemaker and Home Health Aide | Nurse-supervised aide for self-care and daily activities, from agencies under VA contract | Enrolled veterans, community care eligible, clinical need |
| Home Based Primary Care | VA team gives primary care visits at home | Enrolled veterans with clinical need. Homebound not required. |
| Skilled Home Health Care | Short-term nursing, therapy, wound care or IV antibiotics from a contracted agency | Enrolled veterans, community care eligible, clinical need |
| Veteran-Directed Care | A budget you manage to hire your own workers, including family or neighbors | Enrolled veterans of any age, community care eligible, clinical need |
| Adult Day Health Care | Daytime program with social activity and some nursing and therapy | Enrolled veterans, community care eligible, clinical need |
| Respite Care | Aide at home, day program or short nursing home stay so the caregiver can rest | Enrolled veterans with clinical need |
| Caregiver Support (PCAFC) | Primary family caregiver gets a monthly stipend, CHAMPVA coverage if uninsured, respite | Veteran rated 70% or higher who needs 6+ months of in-person personal care |
| Caregiver Support (PGCSS) | Training, coaching, peer support. No stipend. | Caregivers of enrolled veterans, any era |
| Aid and Attendance, Housebound | Monthly payment added to a VA pension. Not both. | Pension recipients needing daily help, or housebound |
| State Veterans Homes | State-run nursing home or day care, not at home | Set by each state |
Does VA pay a family member to be the caregiver?
It can, through three routes people often mix up:
- Veteran-Directed Care lets you hire your own workers, including a family member or neighbor, but it is not offered at every VA location.
- PCAFC pays the designated primary family caregiver a stipend, only for veterans rated 70% or higher who need long-term personal care.
- Aid and Attendance pays the veteran or surviving spouse, not the caregiver.
New York’s own paid-family-caregiver route is Medicaid-based: see CDPAP eligibility in New York.
How does VA enrollment work, and what is the clinical need assessment?
Enrollment comes first. VA takes the Application for Health Benefits (VA Form 10-10EZ) online, by phone at 877-222-8387, by mail to the Health Eligibility Center (PO Box 5207, Janesville, WI 53547-5207), or in person at a VA medical center. Have your discharge papers (DD214), Social Security numbers, insurance cards and last year’s income ready. A power of attorney can sign if the POA is attached; see power of attorney and guardianship.
VA then assigns a priority group, but home care eligibility rests on clinical need. The assessment runs through your VA social worker or case manager, who also completes the Application for Extended Care Services (VA Form 10-10EC) to set your copay. The full path:
| Step | What to do |
|---|---|
| 1 | Gather your DD214, Social Security numbers, insurance cards and last year’s income. |
| 2 | Submit VA Form 10-10EZ. |
| 3 | Ask for a VA social worker or case manager and request an assessment for home and community based services. |
| 4 | Complete VA Form 10-10EC so VA can set any copay. |
| 5 | Ask which services your medical center offers, then request the ones that fit. |
| 6 | If family provides care, ask about PCAFC (VA Form 10-10CG) or call the Caregiver Support Line at 1-855-260-3274. |
| 7 | If income is limited, apply separately for pension and Aid and Attendance (VA Forms 21P-527EZ and 21-2680). |
VA lists less than 1 week as the decision time for a health care application.
How do Aid and Attendance and the VA pension work?
Aid and Attendance is cash, not a service, and is added to a VA pension, so you must qualify for the pension first: wartime service, no dishonorable discharge, income and net worth under VA’s limits, and age 65 or older, a permanent and total disability, long-term nursing home care, or SSDI or SSI.
You then qualify for Aid and Attendance if you need help with daily activities like bathing or dressing, spend much of the day in bed, are in a nursing home because of a disability, or have severely limited eyesight. Housebound is for people who stay mostly home because of a permanent disability. VA’s figures for December 1, 2025 to November 30, 2026:
- The net worth limit is $163,699, including your spouse’s.
- Maximum yearly pension for a veteran with no dependents: $17,441 basic, $21,313 Housebound, $29,093 with Aid and Attendance. VA pays the gap between that ceiling and your countable income.
- Transferring assets for less than fair market value within 3 years before applying can bring a penalty period of up to 5 years.
Where do New York City veterans start?
Ask the nearest facility which home care services it runs, or call VA Health Connect at 800-877-6976.
| VA facility | Address | Main phone |
|---|---|---|
| Brooklyn VA Medical Center | 800 Poly Place, Brooklyn, NY 11209 | (718) 836-6600 |
| Margaret Cochran Corbin VA Campus (Manhattan) | 423 East 23rd Street, New York, NY 10010 | (212) 686-7500 |
| St. Albans VA Medical Center (Queens) | 179-00 Linden Boulevard, Queens, NY 11424 | (718) 526-1000 |
| VA Bronx (James J. Peters VA Medical Center) | 130 West Kingsbridge Road, Bronx, NY 10468 | (718) 584-9000 |
| Northport VA Medical Center | 79 Middleville Road, Northport, NY 11768 | (631) 261-4400 |
The New York State Division of Veterans’ Services also has benefits advisors who can help file claims: 1-888-838-7697.
New York also runs five State Veterans Homes, including one at St. Albans in Queens. The state says a veteran pays nothing out of pocket for routine skilled nursing care there. Admission requires skilled nursing needs, an honorable discharge, 30 days of active service, and a year of New York residence or entry into service from New York.
What VA does not cover, and what pays for the rest
VA says some services are not covered under its health benefits, and that you may pay through Medicaid, Medicare or private insurance. In practice:
- Hours. VA sets care by assessed need and publishes no standard number of hours.
- Custodial-only care under Medicare. VA’s own guidance says Medicare does not pay when the only need is personal care. See Medicare and home care in New York.
- Copays. The first 21 days of geriatric or extended care in 12 months carry no copay. After that, VA’s copay page lists up to $15 a day for outpatient-level care such as adult day health care.
Having Medicare or private insurance does not affect VA eligibility, but you choose which benefit to use each time you get care. Medicaid can fund long-term care that VA does not, if you meet its income, asset and functional tests. Many families fill remaining gaps with private home care; see what home care costs in New York. Tell both VA and your Medicaid plan about the other, never schedule overlapping paid hours, and ask a Medicaid specialist how VA pension income counts.
Mistakes that delay VA home care approval
- Skipping health care enrollment. Home care services and PCAFC require it first.
- Applying twice. VA says to call 877-222-8387 instead.
- Expecting Aid and Attendance without a pension. Wartime service and net worth limits apply.
- Sending medical records with the PCAFC form. VA says not to.
- Missing the examiner’s section. A medical examiner must complete part of VA Form 21-2680.
- Not reporting changes. PCAFC participants must tell VA within 30 days of a move or the veteran’s hospital or nursing home admission.
Where to start when you’re not sure what you qualify for: advice from our nurse director
Anna Klyauzova, RN, MSN, MPA, Director of Patient Services at ProLife Home Care, on what she sees in practice:
If you don’t know what you qualify for, start with what is on the table: insurance, income, benefits already received and the person’s care needs. You don’t have to fill out a dozen applications this week. First find out which programs fit. NYC Aging, NY Connects and Medicaid specialists are good places to ask, and hospital Medical Social Services can help in tricky situations. We help families understand their home care options in Brooklyn and Queens and send them to the right specialist for the rest, so nobody has to sort it out alone.
For a veteran, the VA social worker and the state Division of Veterans’ Services belong on that list too.
ProLife Home Care is a licensed home care agency in Brooklyn and Queens (New York State Department of Health licence #2572L001). We are not a VA program, and this page does not describe us as a VA-contracted provider. To talk through private home care that fits around VA benefits, call (718) 232-2777 or use our contact page.
Checked on 9 October 2026 against va.gov, caregiver.va.gov and veterans.ny.gov. General information, not legal advice. Pension rates change each December 1 and availability varies by VA facility, so confirm with your VA social worker or an accredited representative.
Frequently asked questions
Who is eligible for the veterans home care program?
A veteran enrolled in VA health care whom VA assesses as clinically needing the service, where it is available. For aide, day program and skilled home health services, community care eligibility is also required.
Do I need a service-connected disability to get VA home care?
No. VA’s pages say all enrolled veterans are eligible if they meet the clinical need. Service-connected status can affect copays, and PCAFC does require a 70% rating.
Will the VA pay a family member to care for me?
Possibly. Veteran-Directed Care can let you hire a family member, and PCAFC pays a stipend to a qualifying primary family caregiver.
What is the difference between Aid and Attendance and VA home care?
VA home care is health care arranged through your VA team based on clinical need. Aid and Attendance is a cash benefit added to a pension, with income and wartime service requirements.
How much does VA home care cost?
Nothing for the first 21 days of extended care in 12 months. After that, copays depend on the level of care and your Form 10-10EC finances.
Who do I call in New York?
For VA enrollment help, call 877-222-8387. For caregiver programs, call 1-855-260-3274. For state benefits advisors, call the Division of Veterans’ Services at 1-888-838-7697.
