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Veterans Benefits for the Elderly
Non-service Connected Benefits
'AID AND ATTENDANCE' is available to a veteran who requires the aid and attendance of another person in order to avoid the hazards of his/her daily environment.
Under Aid and Attendance Benefits, a veteran can receive a maximum of $1744 per month in benefits, and a widow/er can receive up to $945 per month.
Requirements
1. SERVICE REQUIREMENTS: In general, to qualify, a veteran must have 90 days or more of active duty under other than dishonorable conditions, one day of which was during wartime.
2. DISABILITY REQUIREMENTS: The veteran must be determined to be 'permanently and totally disabled'.
a) The VA will generally accept a letter from the person's personal doctor as to the veteran's disability. The letter should state that the person has an incapacity which requires care or assistance on a regular basis to protect the claimant from the hazards or dangers incident to his daily environment. The veteran does not need to be helpless - he/she need only show that he/she is in need of aid and attendance of another person on a regular basis.
b) A patient in an assisted living facility is presumed to be in need of Aid and Attendance.
3. NET WORTH REQUIREMENTS: The VA will consider the net worth of the applicant and will deny the application if the net worth is such that part of it could be consumed for the applicant's care.
Although there is no definite number, the applicant is generally not allowed to exceed $80,000 in assets.
However, the home is exempt.
The VA will rarely deny a claim if the net worth is below $80,000.
IS THERE A PENALTY FOR TRANSFER OF ASSETS?
There is no penalty period for transfer of assets. The application simply asks for the net worth of the applicant on the date of the application and does not inquire as to previous transfers.
4. INCOME REQUIREMENTS: The general rule is that even if the applicant fulfills all of the above requirements, the application will be denied if the veteran's countable income exceeds the maximum annual pension rate, which is currently, $1,675.00.
***However, in computing the income of the applicant, certain items can be deducted from income. Specifically, unreimbursed medical expenses paid by a veteran may be used to reduce the veteran's income.
UNREIMBURSED MEDICAL EXPENSES: Doctor's fees, dentist, glasses, Medicare deductions, co-payments, prescriptions, transportation to doctors, therapy, health insurance, and funeral expenses. Also included in unreimbursed medical expenses are the costs of an Assisted Living Facility or in-home aid. Obviously, these can make up a big portion of the unreimbursed medical expenses.
We can assist with the application process as well as securing home health services or placement in an assisted living facility. It takes approximately 4-6 months to be approved but is retroactive from the first of the month after the month applied for.
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