Veteran's Benefits & Elderly Care

The Millennium Health Care Act of 1999 protects aging veterans' access to health care. Veterans who suspect they are not receiving due assistance should seek a geriatric care manager for help.

Types

• Two kinds of care are available to elderly veterans: Non-institutional, outpatient care, and institutional care, which includes local community nursing homes, Veterans Affairs (VA) community living centers, or state veteran homes. The VA may provide institutional care to disabled veterans who require additional assistance in their old age.

Eligibility

• Any elderly veteran qualifies for non-institutional care once enrolled in the VA healthcare system. Veterans qualify for institutional care when the VA-given value that rates injury or disease for all veterans (their "service-connected disability rating") is at least 70%. Veterans with 60% disability will qualify if unemployable or considered "permanently and totally disabled."

Considerations

• Veterans who would like to apply for health services through their VA health care enrollment must also meet various financial critera. A veteran may expect an out-of-pocket co-payment for outpatient health services. Additionally, she may be subject to the availability of resources and specific admission requirements for various institutions.