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What other VA Benefits Come with Aid and Attendance Pension?

Not all veterans are eligible for VA health care. The good news is once a veteran qualifies for Pension, whether or not a rating for aid and attendance or housebound is granted, that veteran can enroll in VA health care.

A great majority of veterans who do not meet the specific entitlement requirements are not entitled to veterans health care. Many of our veterans could benefit greatly from receiving free health care from the Department of Veterans Affairs as well as all of the services that go along with that care. The good news is that once a veteran qualifies for Pension, that veteran can enroll in VA health care regardless of household income.

Once in the system, there is no need for expensive Medicare supplement plans. There is also no need for buying a Medicare prescription drug plan. VA charges no monthly insurance premiums for its healthcare. The only charges are co-pays for certain veterans in the system for office visits and hospital stays and co-pays for prescription drugs. Prescription drugs are available at inexpensive tiered co-pays for each prescription for a 30-day supply. VA will also honor prescriptions from private sector doctors under certain conditions. Veterans with hearing loss are also provided hearing aids free of charge as well as a lifetime of batteries free of charge. Likewise, veterans with vision problems are fitted with eyeglasses at no charge.

Once in the health-care system, a veteran can have access to many long-term care services offered through the system. In addition, a veteran on pension and receiving aid and attendance could also be eligible for home renovation grants of either $2,000 or $6,800 depending on the veterans disability ratings. These grants are available through VA regional medical centers.

The Veterans Health Administration is the largest single provider of medical care in the United States. It's 22 regions with 154 hospitals and their associated 875 outpatient clinics offer the following services.

  • Comprehensive Medical services both inpatient and outpatient
  • Surgery
  • Mental Health Care
  • Dialysis
  • Intensive Care Units (medical, surgical, mental health, cardiac)
  • Transplant Services
  • Spinal Cord Injury Centers
  • Traumatic Brain Injury
  • PolyTrauma Centers
  • Audiology (hearing)
  • Blind and Vision Rehabilitation
  • Chiropractic Services
  • Dental
  • Psychological, psychiatric and counseling services
  • Diagnostic Laboratory
  • Nutrition and Food Service
  • Occupational Therapy
  • Pharmacy
  • Physical Therapy
  • Prosthetics (artificial limbs, equipment, devices)
  • Radiology (x-rays and imaging)
  • Radiation Oncology (cancer care)
  • Recreation and Creative Arts Therapies (music, art, dance and drama)
  • Respiratory Therapy
  • Social Work (housing, discharge planning, family support)
  • Speech/Language Pathology (speech, language, voice, fluency, cognition, and swallowing)
  • Traumatic Brain Injury

This is a comprehensive list, and we are not going to go through a description all of these services that are available through the VA healthcare system. It is important to note that not all VA medical centers offer all of these services in one place. Certain specialized services such as organ transplants, rehabilitation, and surgery for missing limbs, specialized treatment for combat casualties, and other specialized counseling and treatment unique to veterans, is done in medical centers specifically designated for these needs. Each medical center will arrange to send qualifying veterans to these other facilities for treatment. The whole system is integrated together.


Please refer to the table of contents in the top right column of this page for more topics on Pension with Aid and Attendance.

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