VA Aid and Attendance for Nursing Home Care in Arkansas

VA Aid and Attendance can put up to $2,424 a month toward a nursing home in Arkansas for a qualifying wartime veteran, and surviving spouses may receive up to $1,558 a month.1 That is substantial relief in a state where nursing home costs are among the most affordable in the country.

This guide explains how much a nursing home costs in Arkansas, how Aid and Attendance helps pay for it, the $90-a-month cap that applies once Medicaid takes over, the state's own veterans nursing homes, and how to apply with free help.

In This Guide

• Key Takeaways
• How Much a Nursing Home Costs in Arkansas
• How Aid and Attendance Helps Pay for It
• How Nursing Home Costs Lower Your Countable Income
• Who Qualifies
• The Nursing-Home Pension Cap
• Arkansas State Veterans Homes
• How Aid and Attendance Works with Arkansas Medicaid
• How to Apply and Get Free Help
• Frequently Asked Questions
• Learn More

How Much a Nursing Home Costs in Arkansas

According to the CareScout 2025 Cost of Care Survey, the most recent state-level data (released March 2026), a semi-private room in an Arkansas nursing home costs about $89,425 a year. A private room runs about $96,725 a year. Both figures sit well below the national medians of about $114,975 for a semi-private room and $129,575 for a private room, making Arkansas one of the more affordable states for nursing home care.2

These are industry-survey medians, not government figures. Costs vary within the state and rise as care needs grow.2

How Aid and Attendance Helps Pay for It

VA Aid and Attendance is an increase added to a qualifying veteran's or survivor's basic VA pension when the person needs help with daily activities, is bedridden, lives in a nursing home due to physical or mental incapacity, or has severely limited eyesight.6 It is not a separate program; it is a higher pension rate.

For 2026, the maximum monthly rates are:1

Against an Arkansas nursing home running about $7,452 a month (semi-private), Aid and Attendance at the single-veteran rate covers about 33 percent of the cost, reducing the annual bill by roughly $29,000.1,2

How Nursing Home Costs Lower Your Countable Income

VA pension, including its Aid and Attendance increase, is a needs-based benefit. The VA pays the difference between a veteran's countable income and the applicable Maximum Annual Pension Rate (MAPR). Because the benefit is keyed to countable income, large recurring care expenses can help a veteran qualify even when their income appears too high at first glance.1

Here is how it works: only the portion of unreimbursed medical expenses (UMEs) that exceeds 5 percent of the applicable MAPR is deductible. For 2026, those annual floors are:1

• $872 a year for a veteran with no dependents (5% of the $17,441 MAPR)1
• $1,141 a year for a veteran with one dependent (5% of the $22,839 MAPR)1

Example: a single veteran has $18,000 in annual income and pays $89,425 a year for an Arkansas nursing home. After subtracting the $872 floor, roughly $88,553 in nursing home expenses become deductible. That drives countable income far below the MAPR threshold, making the veteran eligible for the full Aid and Attendance rate.1,2

Nursing home fees (including meals and lodging) qualify as UMEs under 38 CFR 3.278, as do health insurance premiums and other out-of-pocket medical costs.1

Who Qualifies

To receive VA Aid and Attendance, a veteran must meet all of the following:6

1. Wartime service: at least 90 days of active duty, with at least one day during a recognized wartime period (World War II, Korea, Vietnam, Gulf War/post-9/11).
2. Age or disability: age 65 or older, OR permanently and totally disabled.
3. Net worth under $163,699 (for 2026): this limit combines assets and annual income; it excludes the primary home, vehicles, and basic household items.6
4. Need for aid and attendance: requires help with daily activities (bathing, dressing, feeding), is bedridden, is a patient in a nursing home due to mental or physical incapacity, or has severely limited vision.

The VA also applies a 36-month look-back on asset transfers for less than fair market value. Transfers made on or after October 18, 2018 can trigger a penalty period of up to five years.6

Surviving spouses of qualifying wartime veterans may be eligible for the Survivors Pension with Aid and Attendance at up to $1,558/month.1

The $90/Month Nursing-Home Pension Cap

This is one of the most important planning facts for families weighing both VA pension and Medicaid.

When a single veteran with neither a spouse nor a child is covered by a Medicaid plan for nursing-facility care, federal law generally limits VA pension, including the Aid and Attendance amount, to no more than $90 per month for any period after the month of admission (38 U.S.C. 5503(d), implemented at 38 CFR 3.551(i)).3 The retained $90 cannot be counted toward the veteran's cost of care, so the veteran keeps the full amount for personal expenses on top of any state Medicaid personal-needs allowance.3

What this means practically: if a veteran enters a nursing home that Arkansas Medicaid is already paying for, the VA pension does not continue at the full Aid and Attendance rate. Families who plan to use Aid and Attendance to help pay for a nursing home before Medicaid coverage begins should coordinate both applications carefully before the veteran enters a Medicaid-funded facility. An accredited VA representative or elder law attorney can help map out the timing to preserve as much benefit as possible.7

Arkansas State Veterans Homes

Besides private nursing facilities, Arkansas operates its own skilled-nursing homes for veterans. The Arkansas Department of Veterans Affairs (ADVA) runs two state veterans homes: the Arkansas State Veterans Home at North Little Rock (2401 John Ashley Drive) and the Arkansas State Veterans Home at Fayetteville (1179 North College Avenue).4 Both provide around-the-clock skilled nursing care from RNs, LPNs, and CNAs, along with hospice care, physical, occupational, and speech therapy, and social-work support.4

Veterans, veterans' spouses, and Gold Star parents may apply for admission. Applicants must have an honorable discharge and a documented medical need for nursing home care.4

Because these homes are state-operated rather than private, admission runs through ADVA, and the way care is funded can differ from a private facility. A resident can still receive VA pension and Aid and Attendance, and the same coordination rules apply: if Arkansas Medicaid covers the nursing-facility care of a single, childless veteran, the $90-a-month pension cap described above still applies.3 Contact ADVA directly to confirm current availability, admission steps, and how a specific veteran's benefits would be applied.

How Aid and Attendance Works with Arkansas Medicaid

VA Aid and Attendance and Arkansas Medicaid are separate programs that can interact when a veteran needs long-term care. The Arkansas Department of Human Services (DHS), through its Division of Medical Services, administers Arkansas Medicaid and its long-term services and supports (LTSS). Arkansas is an income-cap state for long-term-care Medicaid, meaning applicants over the income limit may still qualify by establishing a Qualified Income Trust (Miller Trust).5

Under the general federal rule for Supplemental Security Income (SSI)-related Medicaid, the basic VA pension counts as income for Medicaid eligibility. The Aid and Attendance and housebound portions paid to cover the cost of care are generally treated as unreimbursed-medical-expense income that is excluded from countable income. Because the exact treatment varies by state and by case, veterans should confirm how their specific VA benefit is counted before applying.5

To start a long-term-care Medicaid application in Arkansas, read the DHS Long-Term Services and Supports (LTSS) Medicaid page at humanservices.arkansas.gov, then apply through your local DHS county office or an accredited Veterans Service Officer who can help coordinate both benefits.5

How to Apply and Get Free Help

To apply for Aid and Attendance, you will need:8

• VA Form 21-2680 (Examination for Housebound Status or Permanent Need for Regular Aid and Attendance), completed by a physician documenting the need for assistance.
• VA Form 21P-527EZ (Application for Veterans Pension), if the veteran is not already receiving VA pension.

Forms can be submitted online at va.gov, mailed to the VA, or filed through an accredited representative. Processing often takes three to six months.8

Free help in Arkansas: The Arkansas Department of Veterans Affairs (ADVA) and its network of county Veterans Service Officers (VSOs/CVSOs) provide free, accredited help filing VA pension and Aid and Attendance claims. All services are provided at no charge.9 Visit veterans.arkansas.gov to find your nearest county service officer.

Never pay someone to file an initial VA claim. Accredited representatives are prohibited from charging fees for this service.9

Compare Care Settings in Arkansas

Aid and Attendance can help pay for any care setting. See how it works for the others:

• How Aid and Attendance Pays for Assisted Living in Arkansas
• How Aid and Attendance Pays for In-Home Care in Arkansas
• How Aid and Attendance Pays for Memory Care in Arkansas

Learn More

The information on Brevy.com is for educational purposes only and is not a substitute for professional legal, financial, or medical advice. Rules vary by state and program and change frequently. Always verify with the relevant agency or a qualified professional. Brevy is not a law firm, financial advisor, or healthcare provider.