VA Benefits for Illinois Seniors & Veterans

There are four benefit categories most families care about:

• VA Health Care, enrollment in the VA medical system (Jesse Brown VAMC in Chicago, Hines VA in Maywood, Lovell FHCC in North Chicago).
• VA Pension, a needs-based monthly benefit for wartime veterans with limited income.
• Aid & Attendance (A&A), an add-on to the pension that pays extra when a veteran or surviving spouse needs help with daily activities (bathing, dressing, meals). See the dedicated A&A page.
• Long-Term Care, nursing home, assisted living, in-home care, adult day care, and hospice through VA or the Illinois Veterans Homes.

Most senior VA benefits require:

• 90 days of active duty with at least one day during a recognized wartime period (WWII, Korea, Vietnam, Gulf War from Aug 2, 1990 to present).
• Discharge other than dishonorable.
• For pensions: income and assets under VA limits (roughly $155,356 net worth in 2024, indexed annually).
• Surviving spouses of qualifying veterans may also be eligible, do not assume no.

You have three good options, in order of ease:

• Illinois Department of Veterans' Affairs (IDVA), free, state-employed Veteran Service Officers in every county. This is usually the fastest path.
• County Veterans Assistance Commissions, Cook, DuPage, Lake, Kane, Will, and McHenry all have VACs with free help.
• Accredited VSOs, American Legion, VFW, DAV, and Paralyzed Veterans of America all have accredited representatives at no charge.

Avoid anyone charging an up-front fee to "file your VA claim." It's illegal under federal law.

VA benefits do not replace Medicare, most veterans use both. They can, however, dramatically reduce out-of-pocket costs at an assisted living community when combined with a long-term care insurance policy or an Illinois Medicaid waiver. This is where a benefits navigator (or elder law attorney) can save families tens of thousands of dollars a year.