Does CHAMPVA cover nursing homes or skilled nursing care?
Educational info, not medical advice. Last verified Oct 11, 2026.
Coverage status: Depends
Short answer: It depends: skilled nursing facility care is covered after a qualifying 3-day hospital stay, but custodial (long-term personal) care in a nursing home is not covered.
Key conditions
- Skilled nursing facility (SNF): covered for patients who need 24-hour skilled nursing or rehab care. There must be a three-day qualifying inpatient stay first. No preauthorization, but all claims are medically reviewed.
- Home health care: intermittent skilled care for a homebound patient, ordered by a physician and given by an RN, LPN, or LVN.
- Hospice: covered for a life expectancy of 6 months or less, with no deductible and no cost share.
- Not covered: custodial care, housekeeping, homemaker and attendant services, and care given by a family or household member (Guidebook; 38 CFR 17.272).
What you pay
- SNF, CHAMPVA primary: no deductible; 25% cost share.
- SNF with Medicare primary: days 1–100 usually $0; after day 100, 25% (Guidebook).
- Your family’s costs are capped at $3,000 per calendar year.
Not sure? Call CHAMPVA at 800-733-8387 (TTY 711), Monday–Friday, 8:00 a.m.–7:30 p.m. ET. The Guidebook says a service listed as covered doesn't guarantee payment. See all CHAMPVA coverage answers.
Educational information only, not medical, legal, or insurance advice. Confirm with CHAMPVA and your provider. Last verified against VA.gov: October 11, 2026 (Checked against the CHAMPVA Guidebook and VA.gov on Oct 11, 2026). Changelog