Paying for Assisted Living in Northern Virginia

Start here: what Gracewood will tell you

We do not post prices online because each resident's needs are different. At Gracewood, payment is a private-pay quote after a care look, in writing, on the tour. If your parent has long-term care insurance, tell us early. We work with families who use long-term care insurance and can assist with required documentation.

Medicare does not pay for long-term care

This surprises many families. According to Medicare.gov, Medicare does not pay for long-term care. Long-term care is mostly non-medical help with everyday tasks like dressing, bathing and using the bathroom, and Medicare.gov lists assisted living among the places people get it. Medicare.gov also says most health insurance, including Medigap, does not pay for it, and that people may get long-term care through Medicaid if they meet their state's rules, or through private long-term care insurance.

Long-term care insurance

If your parent bought a long-term care policy, find it now and read it, or call the insurer. Ask:

• Does the policy cover care in an assisted living home?
• What has to happen before benefits start, and is there a waiting period before the policy pays (often called an elimination period)?
• What forms and records does the insurer need, and who fills them out?
• Is there a daily or monthly limit, and a lifetime limit?

Virginia's Bureau of Insurance keeps consumer guides on long-term care insurance, including A Shopper's Guide to Long-Term Care Insurance, on its Senior Resources page. For free, unbiased help reading a policy, ask for a VICAP counselor (see below).

VA Aid and Attendance

According to VA.gov, Aid and Attendance and Housebound benefits are monthly payments added to a VA pension for qualified Veterans and survivors. To be eligible for Aid and Attendance, a person must get a VA pension and meet at least one of VA's listed conditions, such as needing another person's help with daily activities like bathing, feeding and dressing.

• You can apply online, by mail with VA Form 21-2680, or in person at a VA regional office. VA says a medical examiner must fill out the examination section.
• A person cannot get Aid and Attendance and Housebound benefits at the same time.
• VA decides who qualifies and how much is paid. We do not list amounts here; check VA.gov for current details.

Virginia's Auxiliary Grant

The Auxiliary Grant, run through Virginia's Department for Aging and Rehabilitative Services (DARS) and local departments of social services, is a monthly supplement that helps low-income Virginians who are 65 or older, blind or disabled pay for housing in approved settings, including qualified assisted living facilities that accept Auxiliary Grants. DARS lists these steps:

1. Apply for Supplemental Security Income (SSI) through the Social Security Administration.
2. Ask your local department of social services for a functional assessment.
3. Submit the Auxiliary Grant application to the local department of social services where your parent lived before entering assisted living.
4. Look for homes that accept Auxiliary Grant payments while the application is processed.

DARS notes that not all assisted living facilities accept Auxiliary Grant payments, so ask any home directly. This guide does not say whether Gracewood accepts Auxiliary Grant payments. Income limits, asset limits and payment rates are set by the state and change; see the DARS page or ask your local department of social services for current figures.

Medicaid and other programs

The Prince William Area Agency on Aging explains that Medicaid is administered by the local Department of Social Services in each city or county, and that proof of identification and income are needed to apply. Whether any Medicaid program helps with your parent's care depends on their situation, so ask the local department of social services directly.

Free help sorting it out

• VICAP. The Virginia Insurance Counseling and Assistance Program offers free, unbiased counseling on Medicare, Medigap and long-term care insurance, among other topics. DARS says VICAP counseling is available through your local Area Agency on Aging, and VICAP counselors do not sell insurance.
• Prince William Area Agency on Aging. (703) 792-6374, for Prince William County, Manassas and Manassas Park.
• Eldercare Locator. 1-800-677-1116, a public service of the U.S. Administration for Community Living that connects families to local services anywhere in the country, via eldercare.acl.gov.

For bigger questions, such as selling a home, using savings or setting up a power of attorney, talk with a financial professional or an elder law attorney you trust.

Next step

Bring your questions and any policy paperwork to a tour. Use the tour form below, call (703) 688-2388 from 9:00 am to 5:00 pm ET, or ask a quick question in our chat. Our checklist of what to ask on an assisted living tour includes money questions to ask every home.

Frequently asked questions

Does Medicare pay for assisted living?

Medicare.gov says Medicare does not pay for long-term care, which is mostly non-medical help with everyday tasks like bathing and dressing, including care in assisted living. People may get long-term care through Medicaid if they meet their state's rules, or through private long-term care insurance.

Can VA Aid and Attendance help pay for assisted living?

VA.gov says Aid and Attendance adds a monthly payment to a VA pension for qualified Veterans and survivors, for example someone who needs another person's help with daily activities like bathing, feeding and dressing. VA decides eligibility and amounts, so start at VA.gov.

What is Virginia's Auxiliary Grant?

According to DARS, it is a monthly supplement that helps low-income Virginians who are 65 or older, blind or disabled pay for housing in approved settings, including qualified assisted living facilities that accept Auxiliary Grants. Not all assisted living facilities accept it. Apply through your local department of social services.

Does Gracewood accept long-term care insurance?

Yes, we work with families who use long-term care insurance and can assist with required documentation.

How much does Gracewood cost?

Costs vary based on care needs. We quote after a care look, in writing, on the tour.

Where can we get free help with benefits and insurance questions?

VICAP offers free, unbiased counseling, including on long-term care insurance, through your local Area Agency on Aging. In Prince William County, call the Prince William Area Agency on Aging at (703) 792-6374. Elsewhere, the Eldercare Locator is at 1-800-677-1116.

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More for families

• How to Talk to a Parent About Assisted Living
• Signs a Parent May Need Help at Home
• What to Ask on an Assisted Living Tour
• Gracewood FAQ
• Assisted Living in Woodbridge, VA
• Prince William County Assisted Living