Paying for care in Virginia comes down to a handful of programs that each cover one setting: the Auxiliary Grant for licensed assisted living, the CCC Plus Waiver for help at home, Medicaid for nursing homes, VA pension for qualifying veterans and survivors, and Medicare for short-term skilled care. Mixing them up is the most expensive mistake families make.
How do most Richmond families pay for assisted living?
Most pay privately from savings, income, home sale proceeds or long-term care insurance; the main public help is the Auxiliary Grant ($2,130 a month in 2026) for SSI-eligible residents in facilities that accept it, plus VA Aid and Attendance for qualifying veterans and surviving spouses.
Medicaid in Virginia does not pay assisted living room and board.
Which program pays for which kind of care in Virginia?
The Auxiliary Grant pays toward licensed assisted living, the CCC Plus Waiver pays for personal care, respite and adult day health at home, Medicaid pays for long-term nursing home care, and Medicare pays for short-term rehab, home health visits and hospice -- each with its own eligibility test.
Cost and payment guides
What senior care costs in Virginia
Virginia's 2025 CareScout medians: assisted living about $6,944/month, nursing home semi-private about $10,250/month, home care about $6,673/month. No Richmond-specific median is published.
Read →The Auxiliary Grant (AG) for assisted living in Virginia
Virginia's Auxiliary Grant (AG) helps SSI-eligible adults pay for licensed assisted living. The 2026 rate is $2,130 a month in the Richmond area with an $87 personal needs allowance.
Read →The CCC Plus Waiver (Medicaid home and community care)
The Commonwealth Coordinated Care Plus (CCC Plus) Waiver pays for personal care, respite and adult day health at home for people who meet nursing facility level of care. What it covers and how to apply.
Read →Medicaid for nursing home care in Virginia
Virginia nursing home Medicaid in 2026: the $2,000 asset limit, community spouse resource allowance of $32,532-$162,660, monthly maintenance allowance, LTSS screening and applying in Richmond.
Read →VA Aid and Attendance for Richmond-area veterans and spouses
VA Aid and Attendance rates for Dec 2025-Nov 2026: $29,093/yr for a veteran alone, $34,488 with one dependent, $18,697 for a surviving spouse; $163,699 net worth limit.
Read →What Medicare does and does not pay for
Medicare pays for short skilled nursing rehab after an inpatient stay, intermittent home health and hospice. It does not pay for assisted living or long-term custodial care in Virginia.
Read →What memory care costs in the Richmond area
No published memory care cost median exists for Virginia or Richmond. How special care unit pricing is built, what to ask for in writing, and which programs can help pay.
Read →| Pays for | Does not pay for | |
|---|---|---|
| Auxiliary Grant | Licensed assisted living (AG-approved) | Home care or nursing homes |
| CCC Plus Waiver | Care at home and in the community | Assisted living room and board |
| Medicare | Rehab, home health, hospice | Assisted living or long-term custodial care |
Last verified: October 2026
