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VETERANS BENEFITS… Recently Discovered and Unknown

The Veteran Administration known as the VA provides health care benefits to veterans. They also offer two disability programs. Disability compensation is available only for veterans with service-connected disabilities, while the *disability pension benefit is available to anyone who served during wartime and has a disability. The disability does not have to be related to military service.

Other benefit plans can cover a number of health care services, including preventative services, diagnostic and treatment services, and hospitalization. They may also cover what is known as *aid and attendance which can cover nursing home, assisted living facility fees and other unreimbursed expenses, not generally covered by Medicare.

Service Requirements In general, to qualify for the Wartime Veterans disability pension benefit or aid and attendance, a veteran must have at least 90 days or more of active duty under other than dishonorable conditions, one day active duty of which was served during a period of war.

Disability Requirements A veteran must be determined to be "permanently and totally disabled." The VA generally will accept a letter from the person’s personal doctor as to the extent and severity of the veteran's or dependents disability.

The letter, with complete medical diagnosis, should state that the veteran has an incapacity that requires care or assistance on a regular basis to protect the claimant from the hazards or dangers incident to his daily environment.

A veteran or dependent does not need to be bedridden or helpless. He or she need to only show that he or she is in need of aid and attendance on a regular basis. A patient in an assisted living facility is presumed to be in need of aid and attendance.

Net Worth Requirements The VA considers the financial assets 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. As a general rule, $80,000 is the total asset threshold. The home is not counted in this calculation.

In other words, the VA will rarely deny a claim if assets are less than $80,000. There is no penalty period for transfer of assets. The application simply asks for total assets of the applicant on the date of application and does not inquire as to previous transfers. 2

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 current year *maximum annual pension rate (MAPR) per month for a veteran with a spouse or child.

Countable income is all income of any kind attributable to the veteran. However, in computing the income of the applicant, certain items can be deducted from income. Specifically, un-reimbursed medical expenses paid by a veteran or spouse may be used to reduce a veteran's other income.

Many items constitute un-reimbursed medical expenses. Included in this list are: doctor's fees, dentist fees, glasses, Medicare deductions, co-payments, and prescription drugs, transportation to doctors, therapy, private health insurance, and funeral expenses.

Also included in un-reimbursed medical expenses are the costs of the assisted living facilities (ALF) or in-home aid, as long as there is a need for assistance verified by medical evidence. Obviously, these can make up a big portion of the un-reimbursed medical expenses.

This outline was designed to give a brief summary to assist getting pointed in the right direction for possible eligibility for additional benefits and services. I am an Air Force Veteran myself, and my family has over 60 years of active duty Air Force service. Through research I have discovered many of these veterans, spouse and dependent benefits are on a need to know basis. For Free online information about additional benefits available from the Veterans Administration website, see the VA booklet Federal Benefits for Veterans at: http://www1.va.gov/opa/vadocs/current_benefits.asp

*Disability Pension Benefit: http://www.vba.va.gov/bln/21/compensation/index.htm#bm01                                                                                                       *Aid and Attendance Benefit: http://www.vba.va.gov/bln/21/Benefits/exams/disexm02.htm   *Application:  https://www.1010ez.med.va.gov/sec/vha/1010ez/Form/1010ez.pdf                                                                                                                   *Maximum Annual Pension Rate (MAPR):  http://www.vba.va.gov/bln/21/Rates/pen01b.htm   

Brian D. McGann, CEO

MedicareSaver Solutions, LLC

Certified Special Care Planner

Office Phone 321-939-0299

www.medicaresaver.com    /   bdmcgann@medicaresaver.com   /   articles@medicaresaver.com

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