VA Homemaker and Home Health Aide program

The VA Homemaker and Home Health Aide (H/HHA) program sends trained aides, employed by community organizations that contract with VA, to an enrolled veteran’s home to help with self-care and daily activities so the veteran can keep living at home. VA says a registered nurse supervises the aides and helps assess the veteran’s needs. Common help includes eating, dressing, grooming, bathing, using the bathroom, moving around and grocery shopping.

Why it matters

For a non-medical agency, H/HHA is how VA buys in-home personal care from agencies. VA authorizes the care: the veteran’s VA team decides what help is needed, and the referral sets the hours a week and the period. Agencies deliver it under a Community Care Network contract with Optum or TriWest, or a Veterans Care Agreement with VA, and bill the payer named on the referral. A copay may apply, depending on the veteran’s service-connected disability status.

The program is separate from Aid and Attendance, a monthly payment added to a VA pension and paid to the veteran. VA policy says receipt of Aid and Attendance is not considered when VA authorizes H/HHA, so a veteran can have both. To estimate Aid and Attendance, use the Aid and Attendance calculator.

Example: a veteran’s VA team authorizes 10 hours a week of H/HHA for 90 days. Your agency receives the referral, staffs the 10 hours each week and bills the payer named on the referral.

Related: how agencies get paid through the VA Homemaker and Home Health Aide program.