An Overlooked VA Healthcare Benefit?

    Recently my mother-in-law (I call her "Mom") and my father-in-law ("Dad") moved to an assisted living facility. They love the facility, particularly the staff. And, in this instance, the facility's quality is reflected in its price. Fortunately, because Dad's a WWII veteran, he's able to use a VA Benefit to lessen the financial burden.
    When ongoing care is needed, military veterans and their spouses may be eligible for an often overlooked VA benefit called the Veteran's Aid and Attendance Benefit. It can be used to offset the costs of nursing home care, assisted living, and even in-home care.
    Veterans with a disability, whether service-connected or non-service-connected, may qualify for this benefit.
    The benefit is most straightforward for veterans receiving service-connected disability compensation. Veterans with a service-connected disability (rated at 30 percent or higher) can receive the Aid and Attendance Benefit in addition to their monthly disability compensation.
    Although there's no financial eligibility requirements for veterans with service-related disabilities, veterans who need ongoing care for non-service-connected disabilities are subject to financial factors-- in particular, income threshold and "net worth."
    In non-service-connected disability cases, the Aid and Attendance Benefit covers the amount that the veteran's total household income falls short of the maximum Aid and Attendance Benefit. So, for example, an unmarried veteran with a non-service-connected disability and yearly income of $15,000 would receive $4,736 annually.
    According to the American Association of Wartime Veterans Missouri Chapter, a veteran is currently eligible for up to $19,723 annually, a surviving spouse is eligible for up to $12,660 annually, and couples (a veteran married to a non-veteran) can qualify for up to $23,340 yearly. You and your spouse are both veterans? Through the Aid and Attendance Benefit you're eligible for up to $30,960 per year.
    If the household income threshold seems to exclude you from receiving the benefit, you may want to take a closer look at your un-reimbursed common medical expenses. The VA's definition of household income is: pensions and Social Security minus anything from hearing aids and batteries to mobility scooters and alternative medicine.
    Veterans with non-service-connected disabilities must also undergo an asset determination in order for the VA to determine the veterans' net worth. Those with a net worth less than $80,000 are eligible for the Aid and Attendance Benefit.
    Does the net worth stipulation seem to disqualify you? You may want to take a closer look at assets that must be reported to the VA. Your home and transportation aren't counted. Only assets that can be liquidated quickly -- such as farmland, commercial real estate, stocks/bonds -- count toward your net worth.
    There are a few other general qualifying factors that affect veterans with service-connected or non-service-connected disabilities:

1. On Medicaid or Medicare? You can only receive an additional $90 monthly through the Aid and Attendance Benefit.
2. Although a dishonorable discharge excludes you from this benefit, some forms of discharges commonly believed to be dishonorable (e.g, Other Than Honorable) may still allow you to qualify.
3. You must have served at least 90 days of active duty with at least one day during a wartime period. Examples of wartime periods are:

• WWII: December 7, 1941 - December 31, 1946
• Korean Conflict: June 27, 1950 - January 31, 1955
• Vietnam War: August 5, 1964 - May 7, 1975

   
    Applications for the Aid and Attendance Benefit can be pretty long, but the annual paperwork looks less tedious.
    Renee Collins, the VA's Chief of the Processing and Benefits Section in Gainesville, recommends that you visit or contact her office regarding VA health-related benefits because:

• you may be eligible for benefits even if you think you aren't
• recently, the VA relaxed the financial eligibility requirements for "high income" veterans
• you may be entitled to benefits of which you may not be aware.

    You can contact Renee of the North Florida/South Georgia Veteran's Health System at 352-376-1611 ext. 6725, toll-free at 800-324-8387 ext. 6725, or by e-mail (Renee.Collins@va.gov).
    Want to learn more about the Veteran's Aid and Attendance Benefit and how to apply for it? Go to www.veteranaid.org. §

Columns Archive