§1717 — Title 38 Veterans' Benefits | U.S. Code

Summary

The VA may provide home health care when it is needed and makes treatment effective and economical. The VA can also pay for home improvements or structural changes only to keep treating the veteran’s disability or to give access to the home or essential bathroom facilities. The money the VA can spend depends on the type of medical service and when the veteran first applied: for certain services or a specific disability the limit is $4,100 for applications before May 5, 2010, and $6,800 for applications on or after May 5, 2010. For other services the limit is $1,200 before May 5, 2010 and $2,000 on or after that date. Home health care can be given wherever the veteran lives. The VA must not replace someone else’s contract to provide care. If care is given somewhere other than the veteran’s home, the VA cannot pay for structural changes there. The VA may give invalid lifts, therapeutic or rehab devices, and other medical equipment (but not medicines) when medically needed to veterans who receive extra disability pay because they need regular help or who get a pension for needing regular aid and attendance. The VA can also give devices to help those who are profoundly deaf, such as TV caption decoders, to veterans paid for hearing loss. For service members with a permanent disability from active service who are likely to be discharged, the VA may provide needed home improvements or alterations while they are hospitalized or getting outpatient care. Those improvements follow the same dollar limits above.

Title 38, §1717

Veterans' Benefits — Source: USLM XML via OLRC

(a)(1)As part of medical services furnished to a veteran under section 1710(a) of this title, the Secretary may furnish such home health services as the Secretary finds to be necessary or appropriate for the effective and economical treatment of the veteran.

(2)Improvements and structural alterations may be furnished as part of such home health services only as necessary to assure the continuation of treatment for the veteran’s disability or to provide access to the home or to essential lavatory and sanitary facilities. The cost of such improvements and structural alterations (or the amount of reimbursement therefor) under this subsection may not exceed—

(A)in the case of medical services furnished under section 1710(a)(1) of this title, or for a disability described in section 1710(a)(2)(C) of this title—

(i)in the case of a veteran who first applies for benefits under this paragraph before May 5, 2010, $4,100; or

(ii)in the case of a veteran who first applies for benefits under this paragraph on or after May 5, 2010, $6,800; and

(B)in the case of medical services furnished under any other provision of section 1710(a) of this title—

(i)in the case of a veteran who first applies for benefits under this paragraph before May 5, 2010, $1,200; or

(ii)in the case of a veteran who first applies for benefits under this paragraph on or after May 5, 2010, $2,000.

(3)The Secretary may furnish home health services to a veteran in any setting in which the veteran is residing. The Secretary may not furnish such services in such a manner as to relieve any other person or entity of a contractual obligation to furnish services to the veteran. When home health services are furnished in a setting other than the veteran’s home, such services may not include any structural improvement or alteration.

(b)The Secretary may furnish an invalid lift, or any type of therapeutic or rehabilitative device, as well as other medical equipment and supplies (excluding medicines), if medically indicated, to any veteran who is receiving (1) compensation under section 1114(l)–(p) of this title (or the comparable rates provided pursuant to section 1134 of this title), or (2) pension under chapter 15 of this title by reason of being in need of regular aid and attendance.

(c)The Secretary may furnish devices for assisting in overcoming the handicap of deafness (including telecaptioning television decoders) to any veteran who is profoundly deaf and is entitled to compensation on account of hearing impairment.

(d)(1)In the case of a member of the Armed Forces who, as determined by the Secretary, has a disability permanent in nature incurred or aggravated in the line of duty in the active military, naval, air, or space service, the Secretary may furnish improvements and structural alterations for such member for such disability or as otherwise described in subsection (a)(2) while such member is hospitalized or receiving outpatient medical care, services, or treatment for such disability if the Secretary determines that such member is likely to be discharged or released from the Armed Forces for such disability.

(2)The furnishing of improvements and alterations under paragraph (1) in connection with the furnishing of medical services described in subparagraph (A) or (B) of subsection (a)(2) shall be subject to the limitation specified in the applicable subparagraph.

Notes & Related Subsidiaries

Editorial Notes

Amendments

2021—Subsec. (d)(1). Pub. L. 116–283 substituted “air, or space service” for “or air service”. 2010—Subsec. (a)(2)(A), (B). Pub. L. 111–275 substituted “May 5, 2010” for “the date of the Caregivers and Veterans Omnibus Health Services Act of 2010” wherever appearing. Pub. L. 111–163 added subpars. (A) and (B) and struck out former subpars. (A) and (B) which read as follows: “(A) $4,100 in the case of medical services furnished under section 1710(a)(1) of this title, or for a disability described in section 1710(a)(2)(C) of this title; or “(B) $1,200 in the case of medical services furnished under any other provision of section 1710(a) of this title.” 2008—Subsec. (d). Pub. L. 110–289 added subsec. (d). 1997—Subsec. (a)(1). Pub. L. 105–114, § 402(b)(1), substituted “treatment of the veteran” for “treatment of the veteran’s disability”. Subsec. (a)(2)(B). Pub. L. 105–114, § 402(b)(2), substituted “section 1710(a)” for “section 1710(a)(2)”. 1996—Subsec. (a)(1). Pub. L. 104–262, § 101(d)(6)(A), substituted “section 1710(a)” for “section 1712(a)”. Subsec. (a)(2)(A). Pub. L. 104–262, § 101(d)(6)(B)(i), substituted “section 1710(a)(1) of this title, or for a disability described in section 1710(a)(2)(C) of this title” for “paragraph (1) of section 1712(a) of this title”. Subsec. (a)(2)(B). Pub. L. 104–262, § 101(d)(6)(B)(ii), substituted “section 1710(a)(2)” for “section 1712”. 1992—Subsec. (a)(2). Pub. L. 102–405 substituted “$4,100” for “$2,500” in subpar. (A) and “$1,200” for “$600” in subpar. (B). 1991—Pub. L. 102–83, § 5(a), renumbered section 617 of this title as this section. Subsec. (a). Pub. L. 102–83, § 5(c)(1), substituted “1712(a)” for “612(a)” in pars. (1) and (2)(A) and “1712” for “612” in par. (2)(B). Pub. L. 102–83, § 4(b)(1), (2)(E), substituted “Secretary” for “Administrator” wherever appearing in pars. (1) and (3). Subsec. (b). Pub. L. 102–83, § 5(c)(1), substituted “1114(l)–(p)” for “314(l)–(p)” and “1134” for “334”. Pub. L. 102–83, § 4(b)(1), (2)(E), substituted “Secretary” for “Administrator”. Subsec. (c). Pub. L. 102–83, § 4(b)(1), (2)(E), substituted “Secretary” for “Administrator”. 1988—Pub. L. 100–322, § 101(d)(3), substituted “Home health services; invalid” for “Invalid” in section catchline. Subsec. (a). Pub. L. 100–322, § 101(d)(1)(B), added subsec. (a). Former subsec. (a) redesignated (b). Subsec. (a)(3). Pub. L. 100–322, § 101(d)(2), transferred subsec. (k) of section 612 of this title to subsec. (a) of this section and redesignated it as par. (3). Subsecs. (b), (c). Pub. L. 100–322, § 101(d)(1)(A), redesignated subsecs. (a) and (b) as (b) and (c), respectively. 1986—Subsec. (a)(3) [formerly § 612(k)]. Pub. L. 99–576 added subsec. (k). See 1988 Amendment note above. 1984—Pub. L. 98–528 designated existing provision as subsec. (a) and added subsec. (b). 1982—Pub. L. 97–295 substituted “section 314(l)–(p) of this title (or the comparable rates provided pursuant to section 334 of this title)” for “subsection 314(l)–(p) (or the comparable rates provided pursuant to section 334) of this title”. 1968—Pub. L. 90–493 substituted “Invalid lifts and other devices” for “Invalid lifts and other devices for pensioners” in section catchline, and inserted provisions authorizing the Administrator to furnish lifts and other devices to any veteran who is receiving compensation under subsection 314(l)–(p) (or the comparable rates provided pursuant to section 334) of this title. 1967—Subsec. (b). Pub. L. 90–77 substituted “to any veteran in receipt of pension under chapter 15 of this title based on need of regular aid and attendance” for “to any veteran who is eligible to receive an invalid lift under subsection (a) of this section, or who would be so eligible, but for the fact that he has such a lift”. 1964—Pub. L. 88–450 inserted “and other devices” in section catchline, designated existing provisions of section as subsec. (a), and added subsec. (b).

Statutory Notes and Related Subsidiaries

Effective Date

of 1992 Amendment Pub. L. 102–405, title I, § 101(b), Oct. 9, 1992, 106 Stat. 1973, provided that: “The

Amendments

made by subsection (a) [amending this section] shall apply with respect to a veteran who first applies for benefits under section 1717(a)(2) of title 38, United States Code, after December 31, 1989.”

Effective Date

of 1988 AmendmentAmendment by Pub. L. 100–322 applicable with respect to furnishing of medical services to veterans who apply for such services after June 30, 1988, see section 101(i) of Pub. L. 100–322, set out as a note under section 1703 of this title.

Effective Date

of 1967 AmendmentAmendment by Pub. L. 90–77 effective first day of first calendar month which begins more than ten days after Aug. 31, 1967, see section 405 of Pub. L. 90–77, set out as a note under section 101 of this title.

Effective Date

Section effective July 1, 1960, see section 10 of Pub. L. 86–211, set out as an

Effective Date

of 1959 Amendment note under section 1521 of this title. Applicability of Increase in Grant Limits Pub. L. 111–163, title V, § 516(b),

May 5, 2010, 124 Stat. 1167, provided that: “A veteran who exhausts such veteran’s eligibility for benefits under section 1717(a)(2) of such title [probably means 38 U.S.C. 1717(a)(2)] before the date of the enactment of this Act [

May 5, 2010], is not entitled to additional benefits under such section by reason of the

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made by subsection (a) [amending this section].” Pub. L. 102–405, title I, § 101(c), Oct. 9, 1992, 106 Stat. 1973, provided that: “A veteran who exhausts such veteran’s eligibility for benefits under section 1717(a)(2) of title 38, United States Code, before January 1, 1990, is not entitled to additional benefits under such section by reason of the

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made by subsection (a) [amending this section].”

§1717 Home health services; invalid lifts and other devices

Summary

Title 38, §1717

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