Aid & Attendance + Medi-Cal: Strategic Planning Insights for Veteran Long-Term Care

For professionals advising veterans and their families, understanding how VA Aid & Attendance (A&A) and Medi-Cal interact is essential. Both programs provide support for long-term care, but they operate differently, and the optimal strategy often depends on each client’s unique circumstances.

Both Programs Support Long-Term Care

Aid & Attendance is a VA benefit for veterans and surviving spouses who need help with daily activities, such as bathing, dressing, or managing medications. It provides monthly financial support that can be used for in-home care, assisted living, or nursing facility care.

Medi-Cal, California’s Medicaid program, also covers long-term care services. While it currently does not impose strict income or asset limits for certain long-term care coverage, changes in 2026 will introduce means-testing that may affect eligibility.

Both programs aim to help clients access quality care while protecting family resources, but each has its own rules, timelines, and requirements.

Why an Experienced Attorney Matters

For veteran clients, determining the best path forward and the most beneficial combination of benefits can be complex. An experienced elder law or VA-accredited attorney can help:

• Analyze the client’s financial profile and care needs
  
• Evaluate how A&A and Medi-Cal interact in the short- and long-term
  
• Design a plan that maximizes benefits and minimizes risk, especially with the upcoming Medi-Cal changes
  

Attempting to navigate these programs without professional guidance can lead to missed benefits, delays in care, or unintended financial consequences.

Key Takeaways for Advisors

• Both A&A and Medi-Cal are long-term care programs, but they function differently.
  
• Coordinating the right combination of benefits requires careful planning and professional guidance.
  
• Planning early ensures clients can access maximum support and preserve assets for their care.
  

If you have veteran clients who may benefit from coordinated long-term care planning, our VA-accredited team is here to help. Call us at (949) 333-3702 to discuss strategies tailored to your client’s needs.