The short answer, yes they do. The details are within a few criteria that include 3 main factors: 1) did they serve 90-days of active duty with 1 day, yes 1 day of that time being during an "active war-time"? Does not have to have seen combat, just active duty. 2) do they meet financial considerations? Roughly under $2K / month income (minus health care costs) and an asset limit less than $80K but that's a sliding scale based on age. 3) is there demonstrated need. If they are in assisted living my presumption is they have the need.
Keep in mind it is estimated that only about 5% of eligible veterans know about this benefit, so anyone reading this tell all your military friends to investigate this. They served for us, our civil duty to tell them.
The name of the benefit, or pension is Aid and Attemdance. There is more info on the VA page including the details for 1, 2, 3 above. You have to look for it, but it's there. http://www.benefits.va.gov/pension/aid_attendance_housebound.asp Surviving spouse can also be eligible. A worthwhile read on VA website for all. Good to have either the VSO veteran Service Officer for your county or a company like Veterans Care Coordination Help dot the "i"s and cross the "t"s since the application has to be correct or it gets rejected.
Yes it does if your father retired from the military or was in the military during the time of the WWll war. I got my father help from the military a few years ago and now he receives a check for $2150.00 a month then we also use Medicaide for $1,020.00 and combined with his Social Security it covers mostly all of it on assisted living in a place that is about or under $4000.00 a month. I am not sure of the other wars but check and see and also all doctor visits at the VA are free and they pay for all his meds and briefs and hearing aids etc. They are wonderful for my father. Thank God I looked into this and had a real helpful person at the VA who knew their stuff. Good Luck.
The VA will pay for what is called aid and attendance benefits. I recently applied for these benefits for my mom and she started receiving them 3 months later. I found going to the VA office of great benefit. I met a rep we got to know each other and then the rest was handled thru email and phone calls. I personally think a one time face to face meeting gets them to work with you better because they actually know who you are not just a voice on the other end of the phone. I hope the best for you, the VA is a wonderful help it just takes a bit of time setting it up but its well worth it. Ruth Anne
Know that the income requirements will limit those who will get Aid and Attendance. It is a long process, but with VA Secretary McDonald's new customer service implementations, I have seen real progress with the VA and "Bob" as he likes to be called is really making some huge changes. I met him while he was visiting the Phoenix VA and asked him why all the computer data bases were not all connected with each VA clinic. That is one of the changes he made in our VA system and I am so glad I got to speak with him!
I applied for survivor benefits for my mother with the VA. My father had been a Marine in Guadalcanal and my mother wound up receiving $1149 per month which HAD to be used for her care and later on I had to prove that the money was used exclusively for her assisted living bill. You have to keep very good records for the VA Admin. Also, they gave my mother retroactive benefits going back to the day she was first admitted into assisted living. It's worth applying. Good luck!
Hello to all! I am rather dumbfounded that some of you who posted in response to this question have gotten the A and A for your loved one after only three months. Our journey has been quite different and completely frustrating one. My husband applied for his mother over two years ago. All the paperwork, duly catalouged and filled out , was mailed to the proper office. My mother in law was basically indigent, no property or assets of any kind. Big warning here! Make sure you have them certified at the Post Office with a return receipt---my husband did not do this and I was livid when I found out. One year later, still waiting , so I have him go down to the office in the area where we live to find out. The clerk there says they never got anything from him. He refiled for the benefits that day and we did get a letter over six months ago that this time, the paperwork was received and will be reviewed. We still have not heard one word on the matter. My mother in law has since passed away, last July. I feel we really got a raw deal and they just wait for someone aged (she was 90 years old) to die. Does my husband have any recourse now? Very angry over this entire episode and I bet some clerk at the VA when they saw the paperwork had no certifiying proof, just tossed them. A very lousy and trying experience. If you have any ideas or info on what to do now, please tell us. Thanks and be well.
you do realize the maximum benefit for a surviving spouse is $945, don't you? but did they even deduct her assisted living expense or is it considered medical where she lives?
1) did they serve 90-days of active duty with 1 day, yes 1 day of that time being during an "active war-time"? Does not have to have seen combat, just active duty.
2) do they meet financial considerations? Roughly under $2K / month income (minus health care costs) and an asset limit less than $80K but that's a sliding scale based on age.
3) is there demonstrated need. If they are in assisted living my presumption is they have the need.
Keep in mind it is estimated that only about 5% of eligible veterans know about this benefit, so anyone reading this tell all your military friends to investigate this. They served for us, our civil duty to tell them.
The name of the benefit, or pension is Aid and Attemdance. There is more info on the VA page including the details for 1, 2, 3 above. You have to look for it, but it's there. http://www.benefits.va.gov/pension/aid_attendance_housebound.asp
Surviving spouse can also be eligible. A worthwhile read on VA website for all. Good to have either the VSO veteran Service Officer for your county or a company like Veterans Care Coordination Help dot the "i"s and cross the "t"s since the application has to be correct or it gets rejected.
Good luck.
I am rather dumbfounded that some of you who posted in response to this question have gotten the A and A for your loved one after only three months.
Our journey has been quite different and completely frustrating one. My husband applied for his mother over two years ago. All the paperwork, duly catalouged and filled out , was mailed to the proper office. My mother in law was basically indigent, no property or assets of any kind. Big warning here! Make sure you have them certified at the Post Office with a return receipt---my husband did not do this and I was livid when I found out. One year later, still waiting , so I have him go down to the office in the area where we live to find out. The clerk there says they never got anything from him. He refiled for the benefits that day and we did get a letter over six months ago that this time, the paperwork was received and will be reviewed. We still have not heard one word on the matter. My mother in law has since passed away, last July. I feel we really got a raw deal and they just wait for someone aged (she was 90 years old) to die. Does my husband have any recourse now? Very angry over this entire episode and I bet some clerk at the VA when they saw the paperwork had no certifiying proof, just tossed them. A very lousy and trying experience. If you have any ideas or info on what to do now, please tell us. Thanks and be well.
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