Q: I have a patient who is a veteran and requires a great deal of care from his wife. Are there any benefits through the VA that he may be eligible for?
Yes, there is a program your patient may be eligible for. The Aid and Attendance Non-Service Connected Pension provides benefits for veterans and surviving spouses who require the regular attendance of another person to assist in eating, bathing, dressing and undressing, or taking care of the needs of nature. Individuals who are blind, in a nursing home, or in an assisted living facility also qualify.
This pension is an excellent potential source of funds for long-term care, whatever the living situation. As of 2012, the pension can provide up to $1,632 per month to a veteran, up to $1,055 per month to a surviving spouse, or up to $1,949 per month to a married couple.
To qualify for the pension, veterans must meet the following criteria:
* 90 days of active duty, with 1 day during a period of war (although the veteran himself or herself does not need to have been in combat).
* Being totally and permanently disabled (or aged 65 years or older).
* Family income levels below $11,820 for a single veteran or $15,492 for a married couple.
* The net worth of the veteran and dependents must be less than $80,000. The home and property the veteran lives in are not counted. Transferring or gifting is permitted but should be done with the advice of an experienced attorney.
Veterans Administration (VA) presumes that a veteran aged 65 years or older is totally and permanently disabled for pension purposes. The VA pays the veteran the difference between the countable family income and the yearly income limit. Welfare benefits, Supplemental Security Income, and some wages earned by dependents are generally excluded from countable income but Social Security disability and age-related payments, as well as employer pensions, are included. This benefit is based on income and assets, and the disabilities that the veteran has does not need to be related to his or her time in service.
It is critical to check for certain expenses that can be deducted from the veteran's income to allow the veteran to meet the income requirements. Common costs to consider are nursing care, medications and health supplies, equipment (e.g., wheelchair, walker), and prosthetics-to name a few.
Before applying, some housekeeping needs to be done. Eligibility for most VA benefits is based on discharge from active military service under any condition other than dishonorable. To apply for the Aid and Attendance Non-Service Connected Pension, veterans will need to obtain a copy of their discharge papers, known as a DD214, and to provide some medical and financial records.
You can get a DD214 and other forms through a veterans service officer (VSO) or county counselor, your state Veterans Affairs Office, a VA facility, or on the Web at http://www.va.gov/forms. Finally, contacting the National Personnel Records Center is a reliable backup for obtaining any military records. Once that information is completed, you will need to complete VA Form 21-526 for veterans, or VA Form 21-534 for surviving spouses.
I highly suggest contacting a VSO or a county counselor to assist you in navigating the VA and helping you obtain and fill out any paperwork. Without an expert watching your claim, your case could get lost in the system. Also, a VSO or county counselor can check to see if you, or your spouse and/or family, are eligible for other benefits.
For specific details on the Aid and Attendance Non-Service Connected Pension program, I encourage veterans to visit http://www.legalhelpforveterans.com, and to review the e-book available on veteran benefits. Visiting http://www.va.gov/healthbenefits is also a great place to start searching for further assistance.
-Carol Ann Fausone, BSN, RN, MSA, MSN