50+ Lifestyles

Your Advocacy

By Kathy Nitz
GolderCare Solutions

Helping our Veterans

November is a month in which we honor our service Veterans. Being the daughter and granddaughter of Navy men, I especially feel that we need to be mindful of the sacrifices these men and women have made in service to our country.

The Veterans Administration has a plethora of benefits that Veterans can tap into for various things. Some of the benefits are available to the surviving spouses of veterans as well.

GolderCare is an independent advocacy group for seniors and those that are disabled. Because of our clientele we are especially interested in benefits for our senior Veterans and their surviving spouses. One of the benefits that we often use is VA Aid and Attendance.

Aid and Attendance is a “pension” benefit from the VA. The VA has certain criteria that must be met in order to qualify for the benefit. If you go online or talk to an advisor, often times you will find published an asset level of $80,000 in order to qualify. Because pension is NOT an entitlement benefit, the guidelines are somewhat fluid. To make a determination, the VA will take into consideration certain aspects; such as age of the applicant, your medical status and diagnosis, your location and your living situation. Consequently “Dick” may have $80,000 and qualify and “Bob” who also has $80,000 may not. You cannot look at assets alone as the qualifier.

Service related criteria are also part of the qualifications. You need to have served at least 90 consecutive days, one day of which must be during a time of war as delineated by the VA. You must also have a discharge other than dishonorable. Veterans often assume that they do not qualify because they were not in active combat nor did they serve overseas. That is not the case. Neither my father nor grandfather ever fired their weapon in combat during their time in the service. Both would have qualified for Aid and Attendance because they were in the Navy during a time of war. There are also other special circumstances wherein a Veteran can qualify even if their service dates do not fall into the designated periods of war. If you are a Veteran, it is worth your time to look into this with someone knowledgeable with VA benefits. You will need to have your DD-214 (or other qualifying discharge documentation) available when you inquire.

Aid and Attendance requires that you have Unreimbursed Medical Expenses (UME) that you have to pay out of your monthly income. UMEs are medical expenses that are not eligible to be paid by another source such as insurance or Medicare. Unfortunately, there is no distinct definition for UME. Generally however, any medical expenses that are not covered by Medicare or other health insurance are considered a UME. Examples of a UME are health insurance premiums, incontinence products, drug co-pays, and durable medical equipment such as walkers, canes, special equipment. Additionally, home care or the cost of an Assisted Living facility are also qualified UMEs.

So how can Aid and Attendance help you? Let’s use the example of Rich and Jane. Rich is a Veteran having served during Korea in the Army. Rich’s health has declined to the point of needing daily help. His wife Jane’s mobility has declined and they have become somewhat isolated and unable to be socialize any longer. They made the decision to move into an assisted living facility which would cost them $4,800 at the facility they chose. However, their combined income is only around $3,000 a month. If they were approved for Aid and Attendance, they could receive up to an additional $2,120.00 per month income from the VA. This would help them pay for the assisted living facility along with their health insurance premiums and other expenses. If both Rich and Jane were Veterans, they could receive up to $2,837.00 per month to help with the cost of their care.

What if Rich passes away? Jane could be eligible for Aid and Attendance as a surviving spouse of a veteran. She would be eligible for up to $1,149.00 per month to help with the cost of her care.

Currently Aid and Attendance has no look back period. An applicant could technically give all your money away today and go to the VA and apply. They do not penalize you for transfers. HOWEVER, it would be very unwise to simply give away your money and apply for Aid and Attendance. Applicants need to think about the future. What happens if you need to access Medicaid in the future because your health needs require a nursing home? There are strategies that can be pursued to make Aid and Attendance work for now and plan for Medicaid in the future. The VA and Medicaid have vastly different rules and you need to tread carefully. One small mistake can cause you to be denied. This type of planning requires an expert to make the strategy work.

GolderCare Solutions has the solutions you need when you need them most. The GolderCare multi-specialty team helps seniors and their families navigate the complexities of aging includes expertise in long term care, medical, financial, insurance, and public benefits. When you don’t know what to do, call GolderCare.

Kathy Nitz is the Lead Benefits Advocate for GolderCare Solutions. She uses her wealth of knowledge and experience in benefits planning to advocate for seniors and those who are disabled. You can reach Kathy at GolderCare Solutions Unlimited, LLC (309) 764-2273.