VA Aid and Attendance is a federal veterans benefit, while TennCare eligibility and patient-liability calculations are handled entirely by the state. Because the two systems are administered separately, a veteran or surviving spouse should get a benefits screening that looks at both programs together, rather than assuming a VA payment will automatically be ignored — or automatically be available — for nursing-facility charges.
TennCare's post-eligibility policy calculates what a person owes toward their care after subtracting allowed deductions, including a $70 nursing-facility personal-needs allowance and, where applicable, community-spouse and insurance deductions. Whether a specific VA payment counts toward a specific TennCare budget is something to confirm directly with TennCare or a qualified benefits counselor rather than assume. Tennessee also operates four State Veterans Homes worth factoring into a veteran's care-setting decision.