VA Community Care Overview

VA provides health care for Veterans from providers in your local community outside of VA. Veterans may be eligible to receive care from a community provider when VA cannot provide the care needed. This care is provided on behalf of and paid for by VA.

Community care is available to Veterans based on certain conditions and eligibility requirements, and in consideration of a Veteran’s specific needs and circumstances. Community care must be first authorized by VA before a Veteran can receive care from a community provider.

Eligibility requirements

To be eligible for community care, you must meet the requirements listed here.

You must meet both of these requirements:

• You’re enrolled in or eligible for VA health care, and
• You have approval from your VA health care team before you get care from a community provider (except for certain cases like urgent or emergency care)

And you must meet at least one of these requirements:

• You need a service that we don’t provide at any VA health facility, or
• You live in a state or territory that doesn’t have a full-service VA health facility, or
• You live in Alaska, Montana, North Dakota, South Dakota, or Wyoming, or 
• You qualified under the 40-mile distance requirement on June 6, 2018, and live in a location that would still make you eligible under these requirements, or
• We can’t provide the care you need within our standards for drive and wait times, or
• You and your VA provider agree that getting care from an in-network community provider is in your best medical interest, or
• We can’t provide the service you need in a way that meets our quality standards

How do I apply?

What is Homemaker Home Health Aide Care?

The services of a Homemaker and Home Health Aide can help Veterans remain living in their own home and can serve Veterans of any age. Homemakers and Home Health Aides are not nurses, but they are supervised by a care manager who will help assess the Veteran's daily living needs.

This program is for Veterans who need personal care services and help with activities of daily living. This program is also for Veterans who are isolated, or their caregiver is experiencing burden.

Homemaker and Home Health Aide services can be used in combination with other Home and Community Based Services. 

Homemaker Home Health Aides work for an organization that has a contract with VA. Homemaker or Home Health Aide services can be used as a part of an alternative to nursing home care, and to get Respite Care at home for Veterans and their family caregiver.

What services can I get?

Services are based on your assessed needs. Talk with a VA social worker to find out what specific help you may be able to receive.

Examples of daily activities you may be able to receive help with include:

• Eating
• Getting dressed
• Personal grooming
• Bathing
• Using the bathroom
• Moving from one place to another
• Grocery Shopping

You can continue to receive an aide's services for as long as you need extra help with your daily activities.

How do I decide if a Homemaker and Home Health Aide is right for me?

You can use a Veteran Decision Aid for Care at Home or in the Community to help you figure out what home care services or long term care services may best meet your needs now or in the future.

There's also a Caregiver Self-Assessment. It can help your caregiver identify their own needs and decide how much support they can offer to you. Having this information from your caregiver, along with the involvement of your care team and social worker, will help you reach short-term and long-term care decisions.

Ask your social worker for these resources or download copies from the Making Decisions page at www.va.gov/Geriatrics.

If Homemaker or Home Health Aide services are right for you, your VA social worker can help you make arrangements for those.