VA Aid and Attendance Benefits: Effects of Revised HCFA Policy on Veterans' Use of Benefits

Pursuant to a congressional request, GAO provided information on the: (1) historical purpose of the Department of Veterans Affairs' (VA) aid and attendance (A&A) benefits and the policies affecting the use of these benefits; (2) medical, demographic, and economic characteristics of veterans who receive these benefits; and (3) impact of the Health Care Financing Administration's (HCFA) 1994 A&A policy decision on state veterans nursing homes, including federal and state expenditures for the care of veterans in these homes. GAO did not independently verify the data received from VA or the state veterans nursing homes.