The Veterans Administration has a special benefit intended to help veterans or their surviving spouses meet the high cost of health care. The program is referred to as the “Aid and Attendance Program” or “A&A.” If you qualify medically and financially, the Veterans Administration will provide a monthly check to help cover monthly expenses. This benefit is paid in addition to your monthly VA pension. The money can be used to assist with charges related to skilled nursing care, assisted living facilities, board and care, prescription charges and non-medical in-home care services. To be eligible for A&A, the following must be met:
1. The veteran must have served 90 days, one of which was during wartime and must have been honorably discharged.
2. A physician must determine that the applicant cannot live unattended and requires daily assistance from others in order to function.
3. The veteran or surviving spouse must have a “countable income” that is less than the pension amount to be eligible for all or a portion of the pension. Countable income includes the amount of income a veteran or surviving spouse receives after deducting all unreimbursed and recurring health care expenses. This includes Medicare premiums, prescriptions, assisted living costs, home health care costs, insurance premiums, etc.
4. The veteran must have less than $80,000 in assets if married, or $50,000 if single, excluding the home and a vehicle.
The Veterans Administration may pay up to $1,519 per month in benefits to a single veteran, $1,801 per month to a veteran with a dependent and $976 per month to a surviving spouse. The application process can be confusing and time consuming with many forms and documents to submit. You may apply by contacting the local or regional Veterans Administration office.
For more information, the VA website is www.vba.va.gov/bln/21/pension/vetpen.htm#7 . You can also visit www.veteranaid.org/apply.php or call 1-800-827-1000 for assistance in completing the forms. You may also wish to explore whether you are eligible for other benefits such as Medi-Cal, SSI or In-Home Supportive Services (IHSS). These programs are also need-based, but have different criteria for qualification.
For an appointment, please call the Law Office of Jane M. McNamara at 661-287-3260. Our new address is 28212 Kelly Johnson Parkway, Suite 110, Valencia, CA 91355.