Serving Oakland · Macomb · Wayne counties
Eligibility and cost
Who qualifies for VA home care, and what it costs
Most veterans who get in-home care through VA pay little or nothing for it. Here is how eligibility works, who decides, and where to get straight answers about cost.
Who usually qualifies
VA decides who gets home care, not VETTED. We want you to know how that decision is made so you can walk into the conversation prepared. Most veterans who receive Homemaker/Home Health Aide or respite care have three things in common.
- They are enrolled in VA health care. Home care is a VA health care benefit, so enrollment comes first.
- A VA clinical team has assessed their needs. This is usually a VA social worker, often with a nurse. They look at whether the veteran needs help with several everyday activities, such as bathing, dressing, eating, using the toilet or moving from bed to chair. Significant memory loss or other cognitive changes can also qualify a veteran.
- VA has set the number of hours. VA decides how many hours of care each week. It is commonly a few hours, and can be up to about 16 hours a week, depending on need.
A service-connected disability is not required. Many veterans who get home care have no disability rating at all. If you are unsure whether you or your parent would qualify, the best next step is to ask the VA social worker. If you don't know who that is, call 248-794-9292 and we will help you figure out who to ask.
Not enrolled in VA health care yet?
That's common, and it's fixable. Many veterans never enrolled because they had other insurance or assumed they would not qualify. You can apply online, by phone or in person at a VA medical center. The application asks about military service, income and current insurance.
Have the veteran's discharge papers (DD214) handy if you can. Don't let missing paperwork stop you from starting. VA can often look up service records.
Start here: How to apply for VA health care on va.gov.
If you want a person to walk you through it, your county veterans services office can help for free. We list the offices for Oakland, Macomb and Wayne counties on our service area page.
How the process runs
Talk to your VA care team
Tell the veteran's VA primary care team or social worker that you need help at home. Be specific: what is hard right now, and what has changed recently. A fall, a hospital stay, or a spouse who can no longer manage alone are all worth mentioning.
VA assesses the need
A VA social worker, often with a nurse, meets with the veteran and family. They decide whether home care fits and how many hours each week.
Ask for VETTED by name
You can tell your VA social worker which home care provider you would like. Say, "We'd like VETTED." VA then sends a referral to the provider.
We call you
When we receive the referral, we reach out to set up a first visit at home. We learn the veteran's routine, preferences and what matters most to them.
Care begins
We match a caregiver and start visits on a set schedule. If anything changes, we tell you and the VA social worker.
What it costs
VA pays us directly for the hours it authorizes. You do not pay VETTED for those hours, and you will not get a bill from us for them.
Some veterans owe a VA copay. VA may charge a copay for extended care services, including home care. Whether you owe one depends on the veteran's priority group and income. Many veterans owe nothing. We can't tell you your copay, because VA sets it. Ask the VA social worker, or read VA health care copay rates on va.gov.
Need more hours than VA authorized? Some families want extra help on top of what VA covers, like a longer shift on a hard day. That may be possible as private-pay care. Ask us, and we'll talk through what's available and what it would cost.
A note about Aid and Attendance
Aid and Attendance is an extra monthly payment added to a VA pension. It can help wartime veterans and surviving spouses who need help with daily activities, are housebound, or live in a nursing home. Some families use it to pay for care that VA health care does not cover.
It is a separate benefit with its own rules, and applying takes paperwork. Here is where we stand:
- We never prepare Aid and Attendance claims.
- We never file claims on anyone's behalf.
- We never charge for help with a VA benefit claim.
Accredited Veterans Service Officers help with these claims for free. Your county veterans services office is a good place to start. You can also search VA's list of accredited representatives. Be wary of anyone who asks for money to help you apply.
Who answers each question
Families often get bounced between offices. This table shows who can give you a real answer.
| Question | Who answers it |
|---|---|
| Does the veteran qualify for home care? | VA social worker |
| How many hours per week? | VA |
| Will we owe a copay, and how much? | VA |
| When do visits happen, and who is the caregiver? | VETTED |
| Can we apply for Aid and Attendance? | An accredited Veterans Service Officer (free) |
Common questions
Does the veteran need a service-connected disability rating?
No. Home care is part of VA health care, and eligibility is based on need. Many veterans who get home care have no disability rating.
Can a veteran with dementia get home care?
Often, yes. Significant memory loss or confusion is one of the things VA looks at. Our caregivers are trained in dementia-aware care. Ask the VA social worker to include cognitive changes in the assessment.
What if VA says no, or authorizes fewer hours than we need?
Ask the VA social worker what would change the decision and whether a reassessment is possible later. Needs change, and VA can revisit hours. You can also ask us about private-pay hours to fill a gap.
Can we choose VETTED even if VA suggests another agency?
You can ask for us by name. The provider has to be one VA can use for your area. Tell your social worker, "We'd like VETTED," and they will let you know what's possible.
Will VETTED ever send us a bill?
Not for VA-authorized hours. VA pays us directly. You would only get a bill from us if you asked for private-pay hours beyond what VA authorized, and we would agree on that with you first.
What about Veteran-Directed Care?
Veteran-Directed Care gives the veteran a flexible budget to hire their own caregivers. Read how it works on our Veteran-Directed Care page.
Independent and veteran-owned. VETTED is not part of, and does not speak for, the U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs. VA alone decides eligibility and authorized hours. Information on this site is general and is not a benefit determination.