Program Description
VA medical centers can give the veteran’s
care-giver (family member or friend) a “break” by taking over the veteran’s
care for a limited time. VA medical
centers may provide respite care to an eligible veteran for up to 30 days in
a calendar year. Families and patients who are in need of respite care in
excess of 30 days because of unforeseen difficulties, such as the unexpected
death of the caregiver, may receive additional days of care with the
approval of the medical center director. Respite Care may be provided at the
VA medical center, in a community setting or in the veteran’s
home.
General Program Requirements
Respite care is part of the Medical Benefits
Package. Respite is a covered benefit
for all veterans who are enrolled in the VA health care system or are
eligible for VA health care without the need to enroll for such care.
To see Respite information on VHA’s
Geriatrics & Extended Care website, visit http://www.va.gov/geriatricsshg.
For information on enrollment, you can
visit
http://www.va.gov/healtheligibility.
Or you can look at the GovBenefits Basic Medical Benefits
Package entry. Go to the “Search” box at the top left area of this page and
type in the entry below. Be sure to include the quotation
marks:
“Basic Medical Benefits for
Veterans”
Application Process For more information, see the Program Contact Information below.
Program Contact Information
For more information, please
visit:
http://www.va.gov/geriatricsshg
You may e-mail us at:
Seniors@mail.va.gov
You can call the Health Benefits Service Center at this toll-free
number:
1-877-222-8387
Managing Agency
Veterans Health Administration (VHA)
http://www1.va.gov/health
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