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For many Veterans, home care is a viable and preferred option that allows them to age in place while receiving the necessary support to maintain their quality of life.
As a home care provider, offering services to Veteran clients can be an emotionally enriching and financially rewarding experience. However, navigating the different programs and benefits available to these clients can be confusing.
In this article, we will look at the Aid and Attendance and VA Community Care Network's programs and give a brief overview of their differences, eligibility criteria, and the opportunities each one offers.
What Home Care Options Can Agencies Offer for Veterans?
The two programs that are often mentioned when it comes to home care for Veterans are Aid and Attendance and the VA Community Care Network's (CCN) Home Health Aide, Homemaker, and Respite Care programs.
What is the Community Care Network?
The Community Care Network (CCN) is a nationwide network of healthcare providers, including doctors, hospitals, and other medical professionals, that work with the U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs (VA) to provide healthcare services to eligible Veterans outside of the VA healthcare system.
The VA works with CCN providers to ensure that Veterans receive high-quality, timely, and accessible healthcare services that meet their individual needs.
How Does VA Community Care Work for Home Care Agencies?
This program is a great option for Veterans who cannot easily travel to VA medical facilities or who require specialized care not available at a VA facility.
In the case of home care, the VA does not directly offer HHA/Homemaker or Respite Care services, so they authorize community providers to provide this care to Veterans and then pay the agency directly for it.
What is Homemaker Home Health Aide Care?
A Homemaker or Home Health Aide is a trained professional who can assist Veterans in their own homes with personal care and daily tasks.
This service is designed for Veterans requiring skilled care, case management, and support with daily activities such as bathing, dressing, and meal preparation. It's also beneficial for Veterans who feel isolated or whose caregivers need relief.
Homemaker and Home Health Aide services can be combined with other Home and Community Services, which may differ depending on the location. They provide an alternative to nursing home care and offer Respite Care for both Veterans and their family caregivers.
Community Care Network: Eligibility & Reimbursement
If you're a Veteran who meets the eligibility criteria for CCN, you may be able to receive medical care closer to your home, which can be more convenient and cost-effective.
However, understanding the eligibility requirements and reimbursement process for CCN can be a daunting task.
How Can a Veteran Qualify for Home Care Through CCN?
Simply put, the CCN is a health program.
Veterans must be enrolled in the VA health care system and have been determined to need home care services by a VA caseworker, social worker, nurse, or care coordinator.
The number of hours a Veteran is awarded is solely based on need, and not on financial standing. Usually, Veterans are assigned between 6 to 16 hours of care per week, but there's no maximum limit.
In some cases, the VA may even authorize care for 24 hours a day to ensure that the Veteran is properly taken care of.
Reimbursement rates are set annually by the VA and differ based on location. In 2023, these range from $28.80 to $82.00 an hour, making the CCN one of the best payer lines in home care.
Click here to view your local reimbursement rates
What is Aid and Attendance?
The Aid and Attendance program is a pension benefit provided by the VA to eligible wartime Veterans, their spouses, and surviving spouses.
This benefit is designed to provide financial assistance to Veterans who require personal care services to help with their Activities of Daily Living (ADLs), such as bathing, dressing, and feeding.
How Does Aid and Attendance Work for Home Care Agencies?
The Aid and Attendance benefit is a great option for Veterans who require ongoing care and support but do not have the financial means to pay for it themselves. For example, if a Veteran requires assistance with daily tasks, the Aid and Attendance benefit can help them pay for a home care aide to assist with these activities.
To work with the Aid and Attendance program, home care agencies must meet the VA's standards for care and have an established contract with the VA.
The VA may conduct periodic reviews to ensure that the care provided meets its standards.
Aid And Attendance: Eligibility And Reimbursement
Aid and Attendance is a pension benefit that considers the Veteran’s military service history and financial standing for eligibility.
How Can a Veteran Qualify for Home Care Through A&A?
To qualify, the Veteran must have served at least 90 consecutive days during specific war periods and have assets less than $150,538 (as of 2023).
The Veteran must also have been honorably discharged, and if they have a surviving spouse, the spouse must have been married to the eligible Veteran at the time of their death.
The benefit is paid directly to the Veteran, and the Veteran can choose where to allocate the funds towards their care.
The exact hourly rate is agreed upon by the Veteran and agency prior to starting care.
If you're wondering how to get Aid and Attendance approval, there are several companies that can help Veterans gain access to this benefit and assist home care agencies find eligible Aid and Attendance clients. Examples of this are Aidandattendance.com, VetAssist, Veteran Care Coordination, and the Care Planning Institute.
Side-by-Side Comparison: CCN vs. A&A
How This Helps You
Offering home care services to Veteran clients can be a fulfilling experience, but it's important to understand the different programs and benefits available to them.
The Community Care Network and Aid and Attendance programs provide financial assistance for home care services, but eligibility, reimbursement, and the amount of assistance available vary between the two programs.
These programs are historically underutilized by Veterans, so there is ample opportunity for home care providers to take advantage of either one or, better yet, both.
In some cases, one Veteran may be eligible for both benefits at the same time, creating additional opportunities for home care providers.
Moreover, as many home care agencies can no longer rely on a census made up of purely private pay clients, these VA programs are excellent avenues of diversification.
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