Skilled Home Health is short-term health care services that can be provided to Veterans if they are homebound or live far away from VA. The care is delivered by a community-based home health agency that has a contract with VA.
Skilled Home Health Care is for Veterans who need skilled services, case management, and assistance with activities of daily living (e.g., bathing and getting dressed) or instrumental activities of daily living (e.g., fixing meals and taking medicines); are isolated or their caregiver is experiencing burden.
Skilled Home Health Care can be used in combination with other Home and Community Based Services.
Since Skilled Home Health Care is part of the VHA Standard Medical Benefits Package, all enrolled Veterans are eligible IF they meet the clinical need for the service and it is available.
A copay for Skilled Home Health Care may be charged based on your VA service-connected disability status and financial information. Contact your VA social worker/case manager to complete the Application for Extended Care Benefits (VA Form 10-10EC) to learn the amount of your copay.
Find out more about Paying for Long Term Care.
If you are eligible for Skilled Home Health, based on your needs you may receive:
- Nursing care (such as wound care or catheter care)
- Therapy visits for physical, occupational or speech therapy
- Patient education (about managing your medicines or illness)
- A home safety evaluation
- Social work support
These services can help give peace of mind to your family caregiver while you are living at home.
You can use a Shared Decision Making Worksheet to help you figure out what long-term care services or settings 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 good long term care decisions.
Your physician or other primary care provider can answer questions about your medical needs. Some important questions to talk about with your social worker and family include:
- How much assistance do I need for my activities of daily living (e.g., bathing and getting dressed)?
- What are my caregiver's needs?
- How much independence and privacy do I want?
- What sort of social interactions are important to me?
- How much can I afford to pay for care each month?
If Skilled Home Health seems right for you, talk with your social worker about home health agencies in your area.
You can also use the Helpful Websites listed in the Guide to Long Term Care to help you locate services in your community.
After I had a stroke, a therapist came out to the house to help me make sure I could get around my house. She helped me by getting bars for the bathroom and a ramp down into the garage.
Jackson, Veteran
My husband developed bed sores and I needed help caring for his wounds. A nurse came out to help treat his sores and teach me about how to prevent them in the future.
Sally, Veteran's wife and caregiver
