VA benefits for senior care in Pennsylvania run from a VA doctor-led care team in the home to VA and community nursing homes and six state-run veterans homes., For a wartime veteran who needs daily help, Aid and Attendance can also raise a monthly VA pension.

In This Guide

VA Long-Term Care Options for Pennsylvania Veterans

The VA offers multiple long-term care programs. Enrollment alone doesn't unlock them: VA also has to conclude the veteran needs the specific service for their ongoing treatment and personal care, and the service, or a space in the care setting, has to be available nearby. VA may also weigh other factors, such as service-connected disability status or insurance coverage.

Home Based Primary Care (HBPC)

A VA physician supervises a health care team that visits the veteran at home. The team provides services such as nursing care, physical therapy, and help with daily tasks in the veteran's home.

Ask the veteran's VA care team whether HBPC is available near you and fits their needs.

Adult Day Health Care

Veterans attend a structured daytime program that provides social activities, companionship, recreation, care, and support. It is also one of the ways VA delivers home respite, giving the family caregiver a break.

Community Living Centers (VA Nursing Homes)

Community Living Centers are VA nursing centers designed to feel like home, providing nursing-home-level care. VA can also pay for a veteran to stay in a Community Living Center as respite while the family is out of town for a few days.

Community Nursing Home Program

The VA contracts with community (non-VA) nursing homes so veterans can get nursing home care near home. A bed and payment for it are separate questions: VA covers some long-term care services under standard health benefits, sometimes with a copay, while others aren't covered at all and may be paid through Medicaid, Medicare, or private insurance. Ask the VA social worker arranging the placement what this veteran would owe.

Respite Care

All enrolled veterans are eligible for VA Respite Care if they meet the clinical criteria for the service and it is available. If a community agency, an adult day health care center, or a nursing home provides the respite, the veteran also has to meet community care eligibility. Respite can be in-home (a substitute caregiver comes to the house, or the veteran attends an adult day health care program) or in a nursing home (VA pays for the veteran to stay in a VA Community Living Center or a community nursing home while the family is out of town for a few days). VA lists both overnight and daily respite care as available for up to 30 days each calendar year.

Respite isn't necessarily free. A veteran with a compensable service-connected disability, or annual income below the amount set in 38 U.S.C. 1521(b), is exempt from the copay. Others owe nothing for the first 21 days of extended care in a 12-month period, then up to $97 a day for respite in a facility or $15 a day for in-home respite or adult day health care. To learn the amount, VA says to contact the veteran's VA social worker or case manager to complete VA Form 10-10EC, so do that before booking a long stay.

A separate benefit sits alongside it: a Primary Family Caregiver approved under the VA Program of Comprehensive Assistance for Family Caregivers (PCAFC) receives at least 30 days of respite care per year. The two 30-day figures are different rules, so ask which one applies to your family. Family caregivers can also call the VA Caregiver Support Line at 1-855-260-3274, Monday through Friday, 8 a.m. to 8 p.m. Eastern.

Not sure which VA program fits your family's situation? Chat with Brevy to get a personalized recommendation.

Pennsylvania State Veterans Homes

Pennsylvania operates six State Veterans Homes through the Pennsylvania Department of Military and Veterans Affairs (DMVA), providing varying levels of care to meet residents' personal health care needs. They are spread across the state, from Erie in the northwest to Philadelphia and Chester County in the southeast.

Home Location
Delaware Valley Veterans' Home Philadelphia
Gino J. Merli Veterans' Center Scranton (Lackawanna County)
Hollidaysburg Veterans' Home Duncansville, near Altoona (Blair County)
Pennsylvania Soldiers' and Sailors' Home Erie
Southeastern Veterans' Center Spring City (Chester County)
Southwestern Veterans' Center Pittsburgh area (Allegheny County)

DMVA defines four levels of care (domiciliary, memory, personal, and nursing care), but only Hollidaysburg, the Soldiers' and Sailors' Home in Erie, and Southeastern offer all four. Delaware Valley, Gino J. Merli, and Southwestern offer only memory and nursing care, so families near Philadelphia, Scranton, or Pittsburgh can't get domiciliary or personal care at the closest home. All residents receive medical, clinical, and nursing services, drug and nutritional therapy, physical, occupational, and recreational therapy, dental services, and social services.

Admission rules are set by Pennsylvania regulation, starting with 43 Pa. Code § 7.3, not home by home. The applicant must be a veteran discharged under honorable conditions, or that veteran's spouse or surviving spouse; must live in Pennsylvania, or be a veteran who listed Pennsylvania as home of record on entering service; must be unable to support themselves and show financial need; and must be approved by the home's admissions committee. Residents of Pennsylvania go ahead of non-residents, first come, first served. No one is refused for inability to pay: the monthly maintenance fee follows ability to pay, and a resident keeps at least $100 a month plus 20% of the rest of their income for personal needs. For availability and current fees, contact the DMVA Bureau of Veterans Homes at 1-800-547-2838 or RA-MVVA-HOMES@pa.gov.

VA Aid and Attendance

The Aid and Attendance benefit is an increase to a monthly VA pension. A veteran may qualify if they get a VA pension and meet at least one need test, such as needing another person's help with daily activities like bathing, feeding, and dressing.

2026 Rates

VA publishes these ceilings as Maximum Annual Pension Rates, in effect from December 1, 2025 through November 30, 2026. They are annual amounts, but pension is paid monthly: VA subtracts the veteran's countable income from the MAPR, divides what is left by 12, and rounds down to the whole dollar. The MAPR is the maximum amount of pension payable, not a flat check: VA bases the payment on the difference between the veteran's income for VA purposes and that limit.

Category Annual Maximum
Veteran alone Up to $29,093
Veteran with one dependent Up to $34,488
Surviving spouse Up to $18,697

There is also a second, lower increase called Housebound, worth a MAPR of $21,313 for a veteran with no dependents. Each has its own test, and a veteran can't get Aid and Attendance and Housebound benefits at the same time.

Who Qualifies

To be eligible, the veteran must not have received a dishonorable discharge, and must also:

  • Meet the wartime service requirement, with at least 1 day of active duty during wartime on every path: at least 90 days of active duty if service started before September 8, 1980; for enlisted service starting after September 7, 1980, at least 24 months or the full period the veteran was called or ordered to active duty (with some exceptions); or, for an officer who started active duty after October 16, 1981, not having previously served on active duty for at least 24 months.
  • Meet at least one of VA's four age-or-disability tests: be at least 65 years old, have a permanent and total disability, be a patient in a nursing home for long-term care because of a disability, or be getting Social Security Disability Insurance or Supplemental Security Income. Any one of the four satisfies this test, so a veteran under 65 who receives SSI meets it without a disability rating.
  • Meet the need-for-aid-and-attendance test at 38 CFR 3.352(a), such as being unable to dress, bathe, or feed oneself, or needing regular care to stay safe. Being bedridden, being in a nursing home because of lost mental or physical abilities related to a disability, or eyesight of 5/200 or less in both eyes (or a visual field contracted to 5 degrees or less) also qualifies.
  • Have a net worth below $163,699 for 2026. Net worth counts the claimant's and their dependents' assets plus their annual income for VA purposes, so assets alone aren't the comparison; assets exclude the primary residence, the car, and basic home items such as appliances.

The VA reviews assets transferred for less than fair market value in the 3 years before the claim, and a covered transfer can trigger a penalty period of up to 5 years.

How to Apply

Apply with VA Form 21-2680 (Examination for Housebound Status or Permanent Need for Regular Aid and Attendance); a medical examiner fills out its examination section. The form covers Aid and Attendance added to either a monthly pension or monthly disability compensation. On the pension route described here, a wartime veteran who isn't already receiving a VA pension also files Form 21P-527EZ (Application for Veterans Pension). You can file online at VA.gov, by mail to the VA Pension Intake Center, or in person at a VA regional office. On timing, VA's own answer is "It depends": it works through claims in the order it receives them, unless a claim qualifies for priority processing.

Don't do this alone. The PA Department of Military and Veterans Affairs and County Directors of Veterans Affairs help with county, state, and federal veterans benefits and never charge veterans for that help. VA states that an accredited veterans service organization representative's help on your claims is always free, while an accredited attorney or claims agent can charge fees. Federal law adds a limit: no attorney or agent may charge, or be paid, for work done before VA issues its initial decision on the claim, so no one should charge you to prepare or file a first claim. After that, VA can review a filed fee agreement and order an excessive fee reduced.

For the full application walkthrough, see our VA Aid and Attendance guide for Pennsylvania.

Veteran-Directed Care

Veteran-Directed Care (VDC) is a VA Geriatrics and Extended Care program that gives enrolled veterans a flexible budget, managed by the veteran or their representative, to hire and supervise their own workers so they can keep living at home or in their community. Through that budget, veterans may also hire family, friends, and/or neighbors to provide services.

All enrolled veterans are eligible for VDC if they are eligible for community care, meet the clinical criteria for the service, and it is available. VA medical centers deliver VDC through aging and disability network agencies, such as Area Agencies on Aging, whose options counselors assess needs, plan care, arrange fiscal management services, and provide ongoing support. It suits veterans who want control over their care and would like family members as caregivers.

Contact your local VA medical center's social work department to ask about VDC availability in your area.

Community Care Through the MISSION Act

The VA MISSION Act of 2018 (Public Law 115-182) has, since 2019, let veterans get care from community (non-VA) providers at the VA's expense. Two things always apply: the veteran has to be enrolled in or eligible for VA health care, and the VA health care team has to approve the community care in advance, except in cases like urgent or emergency care. Beyond that, at least one of these has to be true:

  • The VA can't offer an appointment within 20 days (primary care, mental health, and extended outpatient care) or 28 days (specialty care)
  • The average drive time to a VA facility exceeds 30 minutes (primary care, mental health, and extended outpatient care) or 60 minutes (specialty care)
  • The service you need isn't provided at any VA health facility
  • You live in a state or territory that doesn't have a full-service VA health facility
  • You and your VA provider agree that care from an in-network community provider is in your best medical interest
  • The VA can't provide the service in a way that meets its quality standards

Those times are eligibility standards, not a promise of an appointment, and missing either one is enough: the condition is met when the VA "cannot schedule an appointment" that is both within the drive time and within the day count. Three details matter. The veteran first has to contact an authorized VA official to request the care, so a long drive alone doesn't qualify anyone. The drive time is an "average driving time" the VA calculates from the veteran's residence with geographic information system software, not your own odometer. And each day count applies "unless a later date has been agreed to by the veteran in consultation with the VA health care provider," so agreeing to a later date means the wait-time condition isn't met.

On May 19, 2025, the VA implemented language from the Senator Elizabeth Dole Act (Public Law 118-210, enacted January 2, 2025) that removes the extra step of review by a second VA doctor on the best-medical-interest pathway, making it faster for eligible veterans to access community care.

How VA Benefits Work with Medicare and Medicaid

VA benefits don't replace Medicare or Medicaid, enrolling in Medicare isn't required to keep VA health care, and a veteran or surviving spouse can receive a VA pension and Pennsylvania's Medical Assistance at the same time., VA and Medicare generally can't pay for the same service, so you choose which to use each time you get care. VA health care is also no shield against Medicare's Part B late-enrollment penalty, which grows every year you delay and lasts for life.

  • VA + Medicare: Holding both is normal. Medicare pays for Medicare-covered services, and VA pays for services it authorizes, whether in a VA facility or a non-VA one. The two generally can't pay for the same service, but they aren't sealed off: if VA authorizes only part of a stay in a non-VA hospital, Medicare may pay for the Medicare-covered services VA didn't authorize.
  • VA + Medicaid: Pennsylvania's Medicaid program, Medical Assistance, is run by the PA Department of Human Services (DHS) under different rules from VA, and a veteran or surviving spouse can receive it and Aid and Attendance at the same time. At eligibility, 55 Pa. Code § 181.81 says the aid and attendance and housebound allowance portion of a veterans benefit is not income, so the basic VA pension amount, not the Aid and Attendance increase, counts toward the income limit. For a nursing facility resident's share of cost, 55 Pa. Code § 181.452(c) excludes that same portion, though the rest of the pension counts; the exception is a beneficiary VA has determined incompetent, where VA states in writing that the benefit counts toward cost of care. Someone getting Community HealthChoices (CHC) services at home or in the community is outside these institutional rules and should confirm their share of cost with DHS. A federal cap can also shrink the pension itself: for a veteran with no spouse or child, or a surviving spouse with no child, in a nursing facility under a Medicaid plan, VA pays no more than $90 a month after the month of admission, and the facility's Medicaid payment can't be reduced by that $90. VA's regulation instead starts it after the month Medicaid payments begin, so check the date VA used on the award. Whether a State Veterans Home stay falls under the cap depends on whether VA pays that home a nursing-care per diem, so check with an accredited veterans service officer. Where VA does pay it, pension above $90 a month for those households, including Aid and Attendance, counts as income only toward the home's cost of nursing home care, so ask DHS how Pennsylvania's exclusion applies there. From the counted income, the agency deducts, in order, a personal needs allowance, maintenance for a spouse or family at home, medical expenses no third party pays, and any SSI or SSP the resident still receives, plus, optionally, up to six months of upkeep on the resident's own home where a physician certifies a likely return. The personal needs allowance has a federal floor of $30 a month ($60 for an institutionalized couple), and a state may protect more, so ask DHS what Pennsylvania protects and how it counts a VA pension in your case.
  • State Veterans Homes offer varying levels of care to meet residents' personal health care needs. Ask the DMVA Bureau of Veterans Homes which payment sources a given home accepts.

Because the two programs count income and assets differently, the order and timing of applying for each can matter. A veteran or family should consult a VA-accredited representative or an elder law attorney before applying.

How to Get Started

1
Step 1

Confirm VA health care enrollment

If the veteran isn't already enrolled in VA health care, apply at va.gov/health-care/how-to-apply. Once enrolled, the veteran is assigned a priority group (1-8) based on service history, disability rating, income, Medicaid eligibility, and other benefits such as a VA pension. Veterans with service-connected disabilities get the highest priority, and copay exemptions turn on disability rating, income, and special eligibility factors.

2
Step 2

Get free help

Don't file claims or applications alone. As of January 2026 the DMVA counted more than 200 accredited veterans service officers across Pennsylvania, all available to help for free, and the department says you should never pay for assistance to apply for the benefits you earned:

  • PA Department of Military and Veterans Affairs (DMVA): 1-800-547-2838
  • County Directors of Veterans Affairs: accredited veterans service officers who help identify benefits, determine eligibility, and prepare applications, often located at the county courthouse. They never charge for their help.
  • Several veteran service organizations, whose accredited representatives' help on VA claims is also always free
3
Step 3

Gather records

Pennsylvania's State Veterans Home application asks for discharge papers such as a DD-214; if it's lost, your County Director of Veterans Affairs or the National Personnel Records Center (1-866-272-6272, Option 1) can help. For Aid and Attendance, a medical examiner completes part of VA Form 21-2680.

Pennsylvania note: The DMVA also runs the Veterans Temporary Assistance (VTA) program, which provides up to $1,600 in a 12-month period to eligible Pennsylvania veterans and their surviving dependents for necessities such as food, shelter, fuel, and clothing. Ask your County Director of Veterans Affairs whether it applies to your situation.

Frequently Asked Questions

Do you have to be service-connected disabled to get VA long-term care?

Not for all programs. A veteran rated 50% or higher is in Priority Group 1, with no copay for any medications, and any veteran rated 10% or higher pays no copay for outpatient or inpatient care. Care for a rated service-connected disability is copay-free whatever the rating or priority group. Other enrolled veterans can still use VA's long-term care programs if VA concludes they need the service and it's available nearby, though copays may apply. Aid and Attendance doesn't require a service-connected disability at all. It requires wartime service, a discharge that wasn't dishonorable, income and net worth within VA's limits, a need for aid and attendance, and any one of VA's four age-or-disability tests: 65 or older, permanently and totally disabled, in a nursing home for long-term care because of a disability, or receiving SSDI or SSI.

Where are Pennsylvania's State Veterans Homes located?

Pennsylvania operates six State Veterans Homes through the DMVA: Delaware Valley (Philadelphia), Gino J. Merli (Scranton), Hollidaysburg (Duncansville, near Altoona), the Soldiers' and Sailors' Home (Erie), Southeastern (Spring City), and Southwestern (Pittsburgh area).

How long does it take to get Aid and Attendance approved?

VA's own answer is "It depends." It works through claims in the order it receives them, unless a claim qualifies for priority processing. Your County Director of Veterans Affairs is an accredited veterans service officer who will help determine eligibility and prepare the application, and who never charges for that help. You can apply while your loved one is already receiving care.

Can a veteran receive both Aid and Attendance and Pennsylvania Medical Assistance?

Yes. Aid and Attendance is a federal VA benefit, and Pennsylvania Medical Assistance (Medicaid) is administered separately by the PA Department of Human Services, so a veteran or surviving spouse can receive both at the same time. Because the two count income differently, the timing of each application can matter, so consult a VA-accredited representative or elder law attorney first.

Next Steps

Start with the PA Department of Military and Veterans Affairs at 1-800-547-2838, or your County Director of Veterans Affairs, often at the county courthouse. They can work out which benefits apply and help you file, at no charge. Ask about state benefits too. Pennsylvania exempts qualifying disabled veterans from real estate tax on the home they live in, a benefit you file for through your County Director of Veterans Affairs rather than the VA. Our guide to Pennsylvania's disabled veteran property tax exemption covers who qualifies and how to apply.

Learn More

VA BenefitsVA benefits for senior care nationwideA complete guide to VA benefits for senior care: long-term care, Aid and Attendance, pensions, DIC, and home grants for older veterans and surviving spouses. VA BenefitsVA Aid and Attendance in PennsylvaniaVA Aid and Attendance in Pennsylvania for 2026: who qualifies, the annual pension rates, how to apply, and free filing help from the DMVA and county offices. Care TypesHome Care vs Home Health in PennsylvaniaHow Pennsylvania licenses non-medical home care apart from Medicare home health, what each costs in 2026, and why Medicare pays for one but not the other. Care TypesNursing Homes in PennsylvaniaWhat Pennsylvania nursing homes cost in 2026, how PA Medicaid pays through Community HealthChoices, and the spousal and estate-recovery rules families need. Care TypesCost of Senior Care in PennsylvaniaWhat senior care costs in Pennsylvania in 2026: assisted living about $6,480 a month, a semi-private nursing-home room about $11,954, plus how families pay. Care TypesAssisted Living vs Nursing Home in PennsylvaniaAssisted living vs. a nursing home in Pennsylvania: level of care and who pays. About $6,480/month private-pay vs. roughly $143,445/year for a nursing home.
Your next step Find personalized help navigating VA senior care benefits in Pennsylvania at brevy.com.

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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