I bring this up with every veteran family I talk to.
A wife calls about getting grab bars installed for her husband — Vietnam vet, bad knees, unsteady on his feet. She’s pricing out contractors, budgeting carefully. And I ask: “Has he applied for the HISA grant?”
Silence. Every time.
The VA will pay up to $6,800 for exactly this kind of work — grab bars, roll-in showers, wheelchair ramps, widened doorways. It’s called the HISA grant, and almost nobody in Sacramento uses it.
What the HISA Grant Actually Covers
The VA doesn’t give you a list of approved products. Instead, the rule is simple: the modification has to be medically necessary for the veteran’s condition.
In practice, that means:
Bathroom work — grab bars, roll-in showers, walk-in tubs, raised toilets, anti-scald valves. This is where most HISA money goes, because bathrooms are where most falls happen. Not a veteran? There are other ways to get grab bars covered — we broke down every option for Sacramento families here.
Entryway access — permanent wheelchair ramps, handrails on steps, widened doorways so a walker or wheelchair can get through. Stairlifts are another common HISA project — here’s what they actually cost in Sacramento.
Kitchen modifications — lowered countertops and cabinets for wheelchair users.
Electrical and plumbing upgrades — when needed to support medical equipment installation.
Flooring — hardwood or other accessible flooring to replace carpet that catches walkers and wheelchairs.
The HISA grant won't cover hot tubs, Jacuzzi tubs, home security systems, portable ramps, porch lifts, or routine maintenance like a new roof or furnace. The VA is specific about that.
How Much Money Are We Talking?
Two tiers, both lifetime caps:
Service-connected disability: up to $6,800
Non-service-connected disability (with a service-connected rating of 50% or more): up to $2,000
These are lifetime amounts — not annual. But you don’t have to use it all at once. A veteran can apply for $800 in grab bars this year and come back later for a $4,000 roll-in shower. The VA tracks the balance.
For context — $6,800 covers a lot of the work Sacramento families need most. A full bathroom safety package with grab bars, a hand-held showerhead, and a roll-in shower conversion can come in right around that number. A wheelchair ramp with handrails often falls under $5,000.
It won’t cover a full walk-in tub installation (those run $8,000 to $15,000 around here), but it can cover a big chunk of the bathroom modifications that go along with it. If a walk-in tub is part of the plan, check your water heater first — most Sacramento homes need an upgrade and that cost adds up fast. We put together a full breakdown of walk-in tub costs in Sacramento — worth reading before you scope the project. Use our free Water Heater Matcher to check if your current setup can handle the project before you start.
Who Qualifies
This isn’t as complicated as most VA programs, but there are real requirements.
You qualify for the full $6,800 if:
You’re a veteran or active service member with a disability that’s directly connected to your military service, and a VA doctor determines that home modifications are medically necessary for that disability.
You qualify for up to $2,000 if:
You have a non-service-connected disability, but you also have a separate service-connected disability rated at 50% or higher. The home modification has to be for the non-service-connected condition.
You also need to:
Be enrolled in VA healthcare (or eligible to enroll). The modification has to be for your primary residence — whether you own it or rent it. If you rent, your landlord has to sign off on the structural changes.
One thing people miss: you don’t need a specific diagnosis from a pre-approved list. There’s no “qualifying conditions” checklist. If a VA physician writes that the modification is medically necessary for your disability — whatever that disability is — you can apply.
That’s different from SAH and SHA grants, which have strict qualifying conditions. HISA is broader.
How Do You Apply for a VA HISA Grant in Sacramento?
I’ll walk through this the way I’d explain it to a family sitting across from me.
Step 1: Talk to your VA doctor
This is the starting point. Before anything else, you need a written prescription from a VA physician. Not your private doctor — it has to come from within the VA system.
The prescription needs to include your name, your diagnosis, and the specific home modifications recommended. Be detailed. “Patient requires grab bars in the bathroom” is fine. “Patient needs home improvements” is too vague and will slow things down.
If your parent doesn’t have a VA primary care doctor yet, start by enrolling at the Sacramento VA Medical Center at Mather (10535 Hospital Way, Mather, CA 95655 — phone: 916-843-7000). Or walk into the McClellan Park VA Clinic at 5342 Dudley Boulevard, McClellan Park.
Step 2: Fill out VA Form 10-0103
This is the official HISA application. You can pick it up at the Sacramento VA Medical Center or download it from the VA website. It asks for personal info, a description of the project, and whether you need advance payment. Nothing complicated.
If you rent your home, you’ll also need a signed statement from your landlord approving the planned work.
Step 3: Get contractor estimates
The VA wants to see what the work will cost before they approve funding. You need at least one written estimate from a licensed contractor that breaks down labor, materials, inspections, and permits.
Several contractors in our directory have worked with VA HISA families before and know what the paperwork looks like.
Step 4: Submit everything to Prosthetic and Sensory Aids Service (PSAS)
The PSAS office at your local VA medical center handles HISA applications. At Sacramento VA Medical Center at Mather, you can submit in person or ask your VA doctor’s office to help route the paperwork.
Include the prescription, the completed 10-0103 form, the contractor estimate, and photos of the area being modified. Some VA facilities now request photos through a digital form sent to your phone.
Step 5: Wait for approval
The VA reviews everything, confirms eligibility, and approves the funding amount. Timelines vary. Some families hear back in a few weeks. Others wait a couple of months. If you haven’t heard anything after 30 days, call PSAS directly and ask for a status update. Persistence matters.
Step 6: Get the work done
Once approved, your contractor does the installation. The VA either pays the contractor directly or reimburses the veteran — it depends on whether you requested advance payment on the application.
Why VA HISA Grants Matter for Sacramento Families
Sacramento County is home to roughly 69,000 veterans. Over 25,000 of them served during the Vietnam era. Many are now in their 70s and 80s — exactly the age when bathroom falls become a serious risk.
The Mather VA Medical Center is right here. The McClellan Park clinic is right here. The Sacramento County Veterans Service Office is at 3970 Research Drive (916-874-6811). The infrastructure to support a HISA application is all within a 20-minute drive for most of the county.
And yet, I talk to veteran families every week who’ve never heard of this grant. They’re paying out of pocket for grab bars, or worse — they’re putting it off because they think they can’t afford it.
If your parent served, this money was set aside for exactly this situation. Use it.
Combine HISA with Other Programs
$6,800 is meaningful, but sometimes the project costs more. That doesn’t mean you’re stuck.
Rebuilding Together Sacramento — This nonprofit installs grab bars, ramps, and other safety modifications at no cost for income-qualifying seniors. If the HISA grant covers your shower conversion, Rebuilding Together might handle the grab bars for free. Phone: (916) 455-1880.
Medi-Cal Environmental Accessibility Adaptations (EAA) — If the veteran is also on Medi-Cal, the EAA benefit under CalAIM can cover additional modifications. Grab bars, doorway widening, bathroom conversions — the same kind of work HISA covers, but through a different funding source.
SAH and SHA grants — For veterans with severe service-connected disabilities, the Specially Adapted Housing (SAH) grant goes up to $126,526 in FY 2026. The Special Housing Adaptation (SHA) grant covers up to $25,350. These are for major structural changes — not just grab bars — and have stricter qualifying conditions. But if your parent qualifies, we’re talking six figures in support.
Tax deductions — Home modifications prescribed by a doctor for a medical condition may qualify as deductible medical expenses under IRS Publication 502. Keep every receipt.
What Families Get Wrong
After 20 years in healthcare, I’ve seen the same mistakes over and over with VA benefits. The ones that trip people up with HISA:
Waiting for a fall to happen first. The HISA grant is preventive. You don’t need to prove your parent already fell. You need a VA doctor to say the modification is medically necessary to prevent injury. Don’t wait for the emergency. The whole point is to avoid it.
Using a private doctor’s prescription. It has to come from a VA physician. A letter from your parent’s private primary care doctor won’t work. If they’re not already in the VA system, enrollment is the first step.
Hiring an unlicensed contractor. The VA expects professional work. An unlicensed handyman installing grab bars into drywall is going to create problems — both with the VA paperwork and with your parent’s safety. Use someone with a CSLB license. Our directory is a good starting point. And before signing any contract, know your rights — California law gives seniors 65+ five business days to cancel. Before signing anything, run the agreement through our free Contract Auditor — it checks for missing cancellation notices, down payment violations, and other red flags.
Assuming they don’t qualify. I hear this constantly. “Dad wasn’t injured in combat, so he probably doesn’t qualify.” That’s not how it works. A veteran with a 50% service-connected rating who develops arthritis at age 75 can qualify for $2,000 in modifications for that arthritis — even though the arthritis has nothing to do with their service. The service-connected rating opens the door.
Not following up. VA paperwork can stall. A missing signature, a vague prescription, a contractor estimate without enough detail. Call PSAS. Call the Veterans Service Office. Ask where things stand. The families who get funded are the ones who stay on top of it.
Sacramento VA Contacts You’ll Need
Sacramento VA Medical Center (Mather)
10535 Hospital Way, Mather, CA 95655
Phone: (916) 843-7000
Prosthetic and Sensory Aids Service (PSAS) — ask to be connected
McClellan Park VA Clinic
5342 Dudley Boulevard, Building 88
McClellan Park, CA 95652
Phone: (916) 561-7400
Sacramento County Veterans Service Office
3970 Research Drive, Sacramento
Phone: (916) 874-6811
Email: DHA-VET@saccounty.net
Hours: Mon-Thu 8am-4pm, Fri 8am-2pm
VA Northern California Health Care System
Main line: (916) 843-7000
Website: va.gov/northern-california-health-care
Get Started Today
Your parent earned this. Don’t let it sit unclaimed. Not sure the investment is worth it right now? See what waiting actually costs when you factor in fall risk and rising contractor rates.
Figure out which rooms need work first. Then call the Sacramento VA at (916) 843-7000 and ask about HISA.
They can put together the estimate the VA needs and walk you through the rest.
Frequently Asked Questions
The HISA grant covers medically necessary home safety modifications including grab bars, roll-in showers, walk-in tubs, widened doorways, wheelchair ramps, stairlifts, anti-scald valves, accessible flooring, and kitchen modifications for wheelchair users. The lifetime cap is $6,800 for service-connected veterans and $2,000 for non-service-connected veterans with a 50%+ service-connected rating.
Veterans or active service members with a service-connected disability qualify for up to $6,800. Veterans with a non-service-connected disability who also have a separate service-connected rating of 50% or higher qualify for up to $2,000. You must be enrolled in VA healthcare, and the modification must be for your primary residence. A VA physician must confirm the modification is medically necessary.
Get a written prescription from a VA physician specifying the needed modifications. Fill out VA Form 10-0103. Obtain at least one written estimate from a licensed contractor. Submit everything to the Prosthetic and Sensory Aids Service (PSAS) at the Sacramento VA Medical Center at Mather. The VA reviews, confirms eligibility, and approves funding before work begins.
Yes. HISA can be combined with Rebuilding Together Sacramento (free modifications for income-qualifying seniors), Medi-Cal Environmental Accessibility Adaptations (EAA) under CalAIM, and larger VA grants like SAH (up to $126,526) and SHA (up to $25,350) for qualifying severe disabilities. Home modifications prescribed by a doctor may also qualify as deductible medical expenses under IRS Publication 502.
No. The $6,800 and $2,000 amounts are lifetime caps, not per-project limits. You can apply for $800 in grab bars now and come back later for a $4,000 roll-in shower. The VA tracks your remaining balance. You can submit separate applications for different projects over time until you reach the cap.