In-home care in Connecticut is among the most expensive in the country, and VA Aid and Attendance can help a wartime veteran or surviving spouse pay for it. It's a monthly cash benefit paid directly to the veteran, who decides how to spend it: a home health aide, a homemaker, or even a family member providing the care. For someone who needs help with daily activities like bathing or dressing, it can make staying at home possible.

This guide explains what in-home care costs in Connecticut, how much Aid and Attendance pays, who qualifies, and how the benefit works alongside HUSKY Health, the state's Medicaid program.

In This Guide

How Much In-Home Care Costs in Connecticut

In-home care in Connecticut runs above the national average. According to the CareScout 2025 Cost of Care Survey (released March 2026), a non-medical caregiver in Connecticut costs about $82,368 per year (roughly $6,864 per month), based on a 44-hour-per-week schedule. The 2025 survey merged the former homemaker and home health aide categories into a single non-medical caregiver line. Connecticut's facility costs, especially nursing homes, run far above national figures, with a semi-private nursing home room around $182,500 a year.

Costs are higher in the Bridgeport and Fairfield County areas than in the rest of Connecticut, and they climb as care needs grow. This is exactly the kind of expense Aid and Attendance is designed to offset.

How Aid and Attendance Helps Pay for In-Home Care

Aid and Attendance is an increased monthly VA pension for wartime veterans and surviving spouses who need help with daily activities. It is paid as cash directly to the veteran, who decides how to use it. There is no requirement to spend it at a particular agency, so it can pay for a home health aide, a homemaker, or a family caregiver.

Category Monthly Amount
Veteran alone Up to $2,424
Veteran with spouse Up to $2,874
Surviving spouse Up to $1,558

At up to $2,424 a month for a veteran, the benefit covers a meaningful share of Connecticut's roughly $6,864 monthly cost for a non-medical caregiver, and at up to $2,874 for a veteran with a spouse it covers even more., Keep in mind the VA pays the veteran; the veteran arranges and pays for the care.

How In-Home Care Costs Lower Your Countable Income

VA pension, including the Aid and Attendance increase, is a needs-based benefit: the VA pays the difference between your countable income and a set annual limit. Continuing, out-of-pocket care costs, such as paying a home health aide, count as unreimbursed medical expenses (UMEs) that reduce the income the VA counts, which is why many veterans who look "too rich" on paper still qualify once their care bills are subtracted.

Only the portion of those expenses above 5% of the applicable annual pension limit is deductible. For 2026 that floor is about $872 per year for a veteran with no dependents and $1,141 per year for a veteran with one dependent. So if a veteran pays $82,368 a year for in-home care, nearly all of it counts against income once the first roughly $872 is set aside. In-home and attendant care qualify as deductible expenses when the veteran has a documented need for that care.

Who Qualifies

To qualify for Aid and Attendance, a veteran generally must:

  • Have served at least 90 days of active duty with at least one day during a wartime period
  • Be 65 or older, or permanently and totally disabled
  • Need help with daily activities such as bathing, dressing, or feeding, or be housebound
  • Have a net worth below $163,699 (this limit includes assets and annual income but excludes the primary home and vehicle)

The VA enforces a 3-year look-back on assets transferred for less than fair market value before filing. A surviving spouse can qualify under the Survivors Pension using the same net worth limit.

Using Aid and Attendance to Pay a Family Caregiver

Many families want to keep care in the family, and there are two ways VA benefits make that possible. First, because Aid and Attendance is cash paid to the veteran, the veteran can simply use it to pay a relative who provides care.

Second, the Veteran-Directed Care (VDC) program gives the veteran a flexible monthly budget to hire their own caregivers, including family members. The veteran (or their representative) decides who provides care and how to spend the budget, and a financial management service handles payroll and taxes. Unlike many Medicaid programs, VDC has no blanket ban on hiring a spouse. To ask about VDC, contact your local VA medical center's social work or geriatrics department.

How Aid and Attendance Works with Connecticut Medicaid

For Connecticut seniors who need long-term care, VA Aid and Attendance can interact with Medicaid (HUSKY Health, administered by the Connecticut Department of Social Services); long-term-care Medicaid for aged, blind, and disabled residents is HUSKY C. Under general federal rules, a veteran's basic VA pension is counted as income, but the portion attributable to unreimbursed medical expenses, including the Aid and Attendance increment paid to cover care, is generally treated as reimbursement for medical care rather than countable income.

Because the precise treatment depends on the program (HUSKY C income limits, the medically-needy spend-down, and how DSS counts each component) and on your circumstances, confirm with Connecticut DSS or an accredited representative before relying on any specific outcome.

How to Apply and Get Free Help

To apply for Aid and Attendance, submit VA Form 21-2680 (Examination for Housebound Status or Permanent Need for Regular Aid and Attendance), with a doctor's exam documenting the need for help. If you are not already receiving a VA pension, also file VA Form 21P-527EZ (Application for Veterans Pension). Claims commonly take 3 to 6 months.

Don't do this alone. The Connecticut Department of Veterans Affairs Office of Advocacy and Assistance staffs accredited Veteran Service Officers who represent veterans on VA pension and Aid and Attendance and Housebound claims at no cost. You can reach them through portal.ct.gov/dva/advocacy-and-assistance or by calling 1-866-9CT-VETS (1-866-928-8387); the Veteran Services Support Center is at 196 West Street, Rocky Hill. Each Connecticut municipality may also appoint a Municipal Veterans Representative to help local veterans apply for benefits.

If your claim is denied. A denial letter explains why the VA turned down the claim and the evidence it weighed. You have one year from the date on that decision letter to ask for a review, with three options: a Supplemental Claim (submit new and relevant evidence), a Higher-Level Review (a more senior reviewer looks at the same evidence), or an appeal to the Board of Veterans' Appeals. The same CT DVA accredited Veteran Service Officers who file the initial claim can represent you on that appeal at no cost.

Frequently Asked Questions

Can I use Aid and Attendance to pay for a home health aide in Connecticut?

Yes. Aid and Attendance is paid as cash to the veteran, who can use it for a home health aide, a homemaker, or other in-home care. With in-home care in Connecticut running about $6,864 a month, the benefit of up to $2,424 (or up to $2,874 with a spouse) covers a meaningful share of the cost.

Does the VA provide the in-home care directly?

No. The VA pays the veteran a monthly cash benefit; the veteran arranges and pays for the care. That's what makes the benefit flexible enough to cover an agency aide or a family caregiver.

Can my income be too high to qualify if I'm paying for care?

Often not. Out-of-pocket in-home care counts as an unreimbursed medical expense that lowers the income the VA counts, but only the portion above about $872 a year (or $1,141 with one dependent) is deductible. Large care bills can reduce countable income enough to qualify.

Can I get both Aid and Attendance and Connecticut Medicaid?

Yes, the two are separate programs and can be received together. Because the income treatment under HUSKY C depends on your circumstances, confirm with Connecticut DSS or an accredited representative.

What if my Aid and Attendance claim is denied?

You have one year from the date on the decision letter to request a review. You can file a Supplemental Claim with new evidence, ask for a Higher-Level Review of the same evidence, or appeal to the Board of Veterans' Appeals. Connecticut's accredited Veteran Service Officers can represent you on the appeal at no cost.

Compare Care Settings in Connecticut

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

Learn More

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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.

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