Nursing home coverage for veterans is available from two sources within the Department of Veterans Affairs — the veterans’ health care system and the state veterans’ homes system.
Nursing home coverage along with other long term care services such as home care and assisted living as well as geriatric care management are available through the Veterans Health Administration for qualifying veterans.
In order to get into the veterans’ health care program, the veteran must have service-connected disabilities, or be below a qualifying income level or be receiving Veterans Pension income.
Once in the system, veterans are not guaranteed long term care services, including nursing home care, unless they meet specific requirements:
• Any veteran who has a service-connected disability rating of 70 percent or more;
• A veteran who is rated 60 percent service-connected and is unemployable or has an official rating of “permanent and total disabled;”
• A veteran with combined disability ratings of 70 percent or more;
• A veteran whose service-connected disability is clinically determined to require nursing;
• Nonservice-connected veterans and those officially referred to as “zero percent, noncompensable, service-connected” veterans who require nursing home care for any nonservice-connected disability and who meet income and asset criteria; or
• If space and resources are available, other veterans on a case-by-case basis with priority given to service-connected veterans and those who need care for post-acute rehabilitation, respite, hospice, geriatric evaluation and management, or spinal cord injury.
State Veterans Homes
State veterans homes fill an important need for veterans with low income and veterans who desire to spend their last years with “comrades” from former active-duty. The predominant service offered is nursing home care. VA nursing homes must be licensed for their particular state and conform with skilled or intermediate nursing services offered in private sector nursing homes in that state.
State homes may also offer assisted living or domiciliary care which is a form of supported independent living. Florida has six veterans’ homes.
Unlike private sector nursing homes where the family can walk in the front door and possibly that same day make arrangements for a bed for their loved one, state veterans homes have an application process that could take a number of weeks or months. Many state homes have waiting lists especially for their Alzheimer’s long term care units.
No facilities are entirely free to any veteran with an income. The veteran must pay his or her share of the cost. In some states the veterans contribution rates are set at a certain level and if there’s not enough income the family may have to make up the difference. Federal legislation, effective 2007, also allows the federal government to substantially subsidize the cost of veterans with service-connected disabilities in state veterans’ homes.
State Veterans Homes Per Diem Program
The Veterans Administration pays the state veterans homes an annually adjusted rate per day for each veteran in the home. This is called the “per diem.” The 2008 nursing per diem amount is $74.42 and for domiciliary care it is $34.40. Adult Day Health Care — up to one-half of the cost of care — cannot exceed $66.82 per day.
The per diem program and construction subsidies mean that State veterans homes can charge less money for their services than private facilities.
Eligibility and Application Requirements for State Veterans Homes
From state to state, facilities vary in their rules for eligible veterans. And even in the same state it is common, where there is more than one state home, for some homes to have very stringent eligibility rules and others to be more lenient. These differing rules are probably based on the demand for care and the available beds in that particular geographic area.
Some homes require the veteran to be totally disabled and unable to earn an income. Some evaluate on the basis of medical need or age. Some evaluate entirely on income — meaning applicants above a certain level will not be accepted. Some accept only former active-duty veterans, while others accept all who were in the military whether active duty or reserve. Still others accept only veterans who served during a period of war. Some homes accept the spouses or surviving spouses of veterans and some will accept the parents of veterans but restrict that to the parents of veterans who died while in service (Goldstar parents).
All states require an application process to get into a home. Typically a committee or board will approve or disapprove each application. Many states have waiting lists for available beds.
A current contact list of all state veterans homes is available at http://www.longtermcarelink.net/ref_state_veterans_va_nursing_homes.htm