Military.com | Veterans Affairs (VA) | January 12, 2009
VA To Offer Health Care to Previously Ineligible Veterans
WASHINGTON -- The Department of Veterans Affairs (VA) announced today plans to re-open enrollment in its health care system by July 2009 to about 265,000 veterans whose incomes exceed current limits.
"We're pleased to be able to offer what has been called 'the best care anywhere' to many more new veterans," said Dr. James B. Peake, Secretary of Veterans Affairs. "We'll be able to provide these newly enrolled veterans with the kind of timely, high quality health care veterans who already use our system are accustomed to."
The change affects veterans whose incomes exceed the current VA means test and geographic means test income thresholds by 10 percent or less. Congress provided funds in VA's fiscal year 2009 budget to support the new enrollment.
In 1996, Congress established a priority-based enrollment system for VA and a uniform package of medical benefits for all enrollees. The legislation opened enrollment in VA's health care system to all eligible veterans and required that each year the Secretary of Veterans Affairs assess veterans' demand for services and determine if the necessary resources are available to provide timely, quality care to all enrollees.
Enrollment for the lowest priority of the eight groups--veterans who are not being compensated for a military-related disability and who have incomes above a set threshold--was suspended on January 18, 2003, although veterans in that priority group who were already enrolled for care were permitted to remain enrolled.
VA originally suspended enrollment for Priority 8 veterans because it was unable to provide all enrolled veterans with timely access to its health care due to a tremendous growth in the number of veterans then seeking enrollment. VA now plans to reopen enrollment for a portion of these veterans without compromising the Department's ability to provide high quality health care services to all enrolled veterans who are eligible for care.
VA's computer systems are being modified to accommodate the changes, and the Department is preparing communication and education materials to ensure that Congress, veterans service organizations, and the public are aware of the coming changes.
"The rule will take effect by June 30, 2009, if the regulatory process proceeds smoothly," Peake said. "We look forward to welcoming these newly eligible veterans into the VA system. VA will continue to monitor wait times to ensure the quality of care is not adversely affected."
Showing posts with label VA.home care.veterans issues. Show all posts
Showing posts with label VA.home care.veterans issues. Show all posts
Wednesday, January 14, 2009
Monday, January 5, 2009
VA Aid And Attendance Benefits Available For The Spouse Of A Veteran
Are VA Aid And Attendance Benefits Available For The Spouse Of A Veteran And, If So, How Much Can The Spouse Expect To Receive?
August 20th, 2008 · No Comments
(The following is based upon a real discussion that recently took place on an elder law listserv for attorneys. It illustrates the misinformation that is often inadvertently provided to consumers by government agency personnel concerning the availability of and eligibility criteria for needs-based public benefits.)
Question: I recently contacted the Veterans Administration (VA) about applying for Aid & Attendance Benefits (VA A&A Benefits) for my client, who is the surviving spouse of a World War II Veteran. I was told that in order to get VA A&A Benefits, the surviving spouse had to be collecting a VA pension based on the deceased spouse’s military service. The deceased spouse never received a VA pension, but he received VA medical benefits and died in a VA nursing home. Am I receiving correct information about my client’s eligibility for VA A&A Benefits? Also, if my client qualifies for VA A&A Benefits and later enters an assisted living facility, will the VA A&A Benefits make her ineligible for Medicaid by putting her over the assisted living income cap even after she spends down all of her assets and is otherwise eligible for Medicaid?
Answer: No, unfortunately you did not receive correct information. In order for your client to receive VA A&A Benefits, she must have been married to the veteran when he died. The veteran must have served at least 1 day in the military during a war time period and have served at least 90 days total in the military. Further, in order to qualify medically your client must either need assistance from another to help her with her activities of daily living, or be unsafe in her own environment without supervision. It is presumed the client needs the assistance if she lives in an assisted living facility; however, the client would still need a physician’s affidavit documenting her medical needs. If she meets all of those criteria, the client must still meet the asset and income requirements. The client’s income cannot exceed $998 per month in 2008. However, in order to qualify financially under the program, she can reduce her gross income by deducting all medical expenses, including the cost of the assisted living facility. In many cases, the assisted living facility costs alone, when deducted from her income, will reduce her income down to below $0.00. With regard to assets, the standard is whether the applicant has sufficient means to pay for her own needs, including her care needs. The informal asset limit is $80,000.
Assuming your client receives the maximum from the VA, she will get $998 per month in 2008. With regard to Medicaid, all of the VA A&A Benefits are excluded from income in New Jersey in determining eligibility for assisted living facility Medicaid. In other states, a portion of the VA A&A Benefits are considered to be “pension” and are included in the income cap calculation and the other portion is considered to be “aid and attendance” which is exempt from the income calculation. The “pension” portion is $624 per month and the A&A portion is $373 per month. In states other than NJ, once Medicaid is approved, you or the client must to notify the VA that she is receiving Medicaid by using VA Form 21-0779. Then, the VA will reduce the A&A to $90 per month which takes the place of the normal personal needs allowance. All of the $90 per month received from the VA is exempt from the Medicaid income calculation.
August 20th, 2008 · No Comments
(The following is based upon a real discussion that recently took place on an elder law listserv for attorneys. It illustrates the misinformation that is often inadvertently provided to consumers by government agency personnel concerning the availability of and eligibility criteria for needs-based public benefits.)
Question: I recently contacted the Veterans Administration (VA) about applying for Aid & Attendance Benefits (VA A&A Benefits) for my client, who is the surviving spouse of a World War II Veteran. I was told that in order to get VA A&A Benefits, the surviving spouse had to be collecting a VA pension based on the deceased spouse’s military service. The deceased spouse never received a VA pension, but he received VA medical benefits and died in a VA nursing home. Am I receiving correct information about my client’s eligibility for VA A&A Benefits? Also, if my client qualifies for VA A&A Benefits and later enters an assisted living facility, will the VA A&A Benefits make her ineligible for Medicaid by putting her over the assisted living income cap even after she spends down all of her assets and is otherwise eligible for Medicaid?
Answer: No, unfortunately you did not receive correct information. In order for your client to receive VA A&A Benefits, she must have been married to the veteran when he died. The veteran must have served at least 1 day in the military during a war time period and have served at least 90 days total in the military. Further, in order to qualify medically your client must either need assistance from another to help her with her activities of daily living, or be unsafe in her own environment without supervision. It is presumed the client needs the assistance if she lives in an assisted living facility; however, the client would still need a physician’s affidavit documenting her medical needs. If she meets all of those criteria, the client must still meet the asset and income requirements. The client’s income cannot exceed $998 per month in 2008. However, in order to qualify financially under the program, she can reduce her gross income by deducting all medical expenses, including the cost of the assisted living facility. In many cases, the assisted living facility costs alone, when deducted from her income, will reduce her income down to below $0.00. With regard to assets, the standard is whether the applicant has sufficient means to pay for her own needs, including her care needs. The informal asset limit is $80,000.
Assuming your client receives the maximum from the VA, she will get $998 per month in 2008. With regard to Medicaid, all of the VA A&A Benefits are excluded from income in New Jersey in determining eligibility for assisted living facility Medicaid. In other states, a portion of the VA A&A Benefits are considered to be “pension” and are included in the income cap calculation and the other portion is considered to be “aid and attendance” which is exempt from the income calculation. The “pension” portion is $624 per month and the A&A portion is $373 per month. In states other than NJ, once Medicaid is approved, you or the client must to notify the VA that she is receiving Medicaid by using VA Form 21-0779. Then, the VA will reduce the A&A to $90 per month which takes the place of the normal personal needs allowance. All of the $90 per month received from the VA is exempt from the Medicaid income calculation.
Wednesday, July 16, 2008
Home Loans Fund for MA Vets
Home Loans Fund for MA Vets
Week of July 14, 2008
Veterans in Massachusetts have access to low- or no-down payment mortgages under the "Home for the Brave" Program. The program will offer affordable home loans to Massachusetts veterans and will include mortgage insurance that will pay a veteran's monthly mortgage payment for up to six months if the veteran becomes unemployed or deployed on active duty. The program was developed by Mass Housing, the state's affordable housing bank. For more information, visit the MassHousing.com website. Learn about proposed national legislation to help vets through the mortgage crisis.
Connect with lenders ready to help you refinance.
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Tuesday, June 3, 2008
VA benefits and Assistance
We Thank You for Your Service
The Department of Defense notifies VA when service members are released from active duty. Then VA sends a letter with information about VA benefits and assistance to aid transition to civilian life. You can find help with personal and family concerns, and community readjustment issues. There are also toll-free numbers, VA Web sites, and brochures to help you get the information you need.
Toll Free Numbers
Benefits Information 1-800-827-1000
Health Care Eligibility Information 1-877-222-8387
Tuesday, February 26, 2008
Veterans on Home care
VA Gives $4.7 Million to Help Caregivers
The Department of Veterans Affairs (VA) will provide nearly $4.7 million for “caregiver assistance pilot programs” to expand and improve health care education and provide needed training and resources for caregivers who assist disabled and aging veterans in their homes. The pilot programs will support eight caregiver projects across the country. Among the key services provided to caregivers are transportation, respite care, case management and service coordination, assistance with personal care (bathing and grooming), social and emotional support, and home safety evaluations.
Education programs teach caregivers how to obtain community resources such as legal assistance, financial support, housing assistance, home delivered meals and spiritual support. In addition, caregivers are taught skills such as time management techniques, medication management, communication skills with the medical staff and the veteran, and ways to take better care of themselves. The VA pilot programs include:
At the Memphis (Tenn.) and Palo Alto (Calif.) VA medical centers, a project will provide education, support and skills-building to help caregivers manage both patient behaviors and their own stress. This intervention will be provided in 14 Home-Based Primary Care (HBPC) programs across the country and also to caregivers in non-HBPC settings at the Palo Alto VAMC.
At the VA medical center in Gainesville, Fla., caregivers will take part in a Transition Assistance Program to provide skills training, education and supportive problem solving using videophone technology.
At the VA Healthcare System of Ohio, headquartered in Cincinnati, caregiver advocates will be available around the clock to coordinate between VA and community services.
At the VA Desert Pacific Network and the VA Sierra Nevada Healthcare System, VA will work with a community coalition to provide education, skills training and resources for caregivers of veterans with traumatic brain injury using computer-based telehealth, including Web, telephone and videoconferencing.
At the VA medical center in Albany, N.Y., a pilot project will convert a three-hour workshop developed by the National Family Caregivers Association called “Communicating Effectively with Health Care Professionals” into a cost-effective multimedia format.
At the Atlanta VA Medical Center, use of computer-based technology will provide instrumental help and emotional support to caregivers who live in remote areas or to those who cannot leave a patient alone.
The Tampa VA Medical Center and the Miami VA Healthcare System are working on a collaborative project. In the Tampa area, the current program will be expanded to provide 24-hour in-home respite care to temporarily relieve caregivers up to 14 days a year. In Miami, the program will coordinate comprehensive community-based care services, including respite, home companions, adult day care and use of emergency response system.
The VA Pacific Islands Health Care System will use the “medical foster home” model of care, in which caregivers in the community take veterans into their homes and provide 24-hour supervision. This program will take place on the islands of Kauai, Hawaii, Maui and rural areas of Oahu.
For more information, visit the Department of Veteran Affairs website.
Comments
takandles
3 days agoSuggest Removal
My father gets Aid in Dependent Care from the VA which is a big financial help. I do not work to take care of him so some of that money is suppose to be to pay me. the down side is that if I want to hire someone for respite care it comes out of my part which I need to support myself. I only get to go to the store when one of my children can come sit with him. I have not gone anyplace else in years. There needs to be more respite care for the caregivers with little or no income such as me. Here in the state of Alabama there isn' much. You have to have no or very little to get help or be rich enough to afford it. What we get from the VA it a big help but not enough.
Temporary relief from the stress and duties of caregiving.
mbsmarttext('Respite Care','bbf852d1-7af3-483e-a7b3-1067f001bd53');
The Department of Veterans Affairs (VA) will provide nearly $4.7 million for “caregiver assistance pilot programs” to expand and improve health care education and provide needed training and resources for caregivers who assist disabled and aging veterans in their homes. The pilot programs will support eight caregiver projects across the country. Among the key services provided to caregivers are transportation, respite care, case management and service coordination, assistance with personal care (bathing and grooming), social and emotional support, and home safety evaluations.
Education programs teach caregivers how to obtain community resources such as legal assistance, financial support, housing assistance, home delivered meals and spiritual support. In addition, caregivers are taught skills such as time management techniques, medication management, communication skills with the medical staff and the veteran, and ways to take better care of themselves. The VA pilot programs include:
At the Memphis (Tenn.) and Palo Alto (Calif.) VA medical centers, a project will provide education, support and skills-building to help caregivers manage both patient behaviors and their own stress. This intervention will be provided in 14 Home-Based Primary Care (HBPC) programs across the country and also to caregivers in non-HBPC settings at the Palo Alto VAMC.
At the VA medical center in Gainesville, Fla., caregivers will take part in a Transition Assistance Program to provide skills training, education and supportive problem solving using videophone technology.
At the VA Healthcare System of Ohio, headquartered in Cincinnati, caregiver advocates will be available around the clock to coordinate between VA and community services.
At the VA Desert Pacific Network and the VA Sierra Nevada Healthcare System, VA will work with a community coalition to provide education, skills training and resources for caregivers of veterans with traumatic brain injury using computer-based telehealth, including Web, telephone and videoconferencing.
At the VA medical center in Albany, N.Y., a pilot project will convert a three-hour workshop developed by the National Family Caregivers Association called “Communicating Effectively with Health Care Professionals” into a cost-effective multimedia format.
At the Atlanta VA Medical Center, use of computer-based technology will provide instrumental help and emotional support to caregivers who live in remote areas or to those who cannot leave a patient alone.
The Tampa VA Medical Center and the Miami VA Healthcare System are working on a collaborative project. In the Tampa area, the current program will be expanded to provide 24-hour in-home respite care to temporarily relieve caregivers up to 14 days a year. In Miami, the program will coordinate comprehensive community-based care services, including respite, home companions, adult day care and use of emergency response system.
The VA Pacific Islands Health Care System will use the “medical foster home” model of care, in which caregivers in the community take veterans into their homes and provide 24-hour supervision. This program will take place on the islands of Kauai, Hawaii, Maui and rural areas of Oahu.
For more information, visit the Department of Veteran Affairs website.
Comments
takandles
3 days agoSuggest Removal
My father gets Aid in Dependent Care from the VA which is a big financial help. I do not work to take care of him so some of that money is suppose to be to pay me. the down side is that if I want to hire someone for respite care it comes out of my part which I need to support myself. I only get to go to the store when one of my children can come sit with him. I have not gone anyplace else in years. There needs to be more respite care for the caregivers with little or no income such as me. Here in the state of Alabama there isn' much. You have to have no or very little to get help or be rich enough to afford it. What we get from the VA it a big help but not enough.
Temporary relief from the stress and duties of caregiving.
mbsmarttext('Respite Care','bbf852d1-7af3-483e-a7b3-1067f001bd53');
Monday, December 31, 2007
HOW TO APPLY FOR THE AID & ATTENDANCE SPECIAL PENSION
There is much information that needs to be gathered and prepared when applying for the Aid & Attendance Special Pension. We have compiled a list of the documents you will need, as well as links to download some of the VA and Government Forms that you will need. While it may seem to be a daunting task, we recommend that you read through this site to better your understanding of the application process to be prepared before you speak with any Veterans' Affairs Office.
To apply for the Aid & Attendance Special Pension, you will need the following documents. Prepare these before making your filing.
Discharge/Separation Papers (DD-214). If you need to request military records, you can either fill out Standard Form 180 (right click to save) or, you can visit http://www.archives.gov/st-louis/military-personnel/standard-form-180.html. Full instructions on how to request military records is listed on that site.
Copy of Marriage Certificate and all marital information (surviving spouses only).
Copy of the Death Certificate (surviving spouses only).
Copy of current Social Security Award Letter (the letter that Social Security send at the beginning of the year stating what your monthly amount will be for the following year).
Net Worth information, including bank accounts, CDs, Trusts, Stocks, Bonds, Annuities, etc.
Proof of all income from pensions, retirement, interest income from investments, annuities, etc.
If you are a court-appointed guardian of the veteran or surviving spouse, a certified copy of the court order of the appointment is required.
Proof of insurance premiums, medications, medical bills or any other medical expenses that are not reimbursed by insurance, Medicare, or Medicaid.
Physician statement that includes current diagnosis, medical status, prognosis, name and address, ability to care for self, ability to travel unattended, etc. If you are a veteran in a nursing home, or a family member of a veteran in a nursing home, you can use this form as a certification of that status (right click to save): Nursing Home Status Statement
Banking information for Direct Deposit of A&A monthly payments (include a voided check).
Employment history (does not apply if you are over 65).
List of all doctors and hospitals visited in the last year.
Once you have this information compiled, you will need to obtain and complete VA Form 21-526 and/or VA Form 21-534 for Special Pension benefits with Aid & Attendance. These forms can be downloaded in PDF format here (right click to save):
VA Form 21-526VA Form 21-534
Now that you have all your information, follow the instructions on Form 21-526 or Form 21-534 to file for your Aid & Attendance Special Pension. In most cases, you will send the information to your local or regional Veterans' Administration. If you need assistance with filing your paperwork, you can contact the VA, however, be prepared to encounter someone who is not knowledgeable about this benefit and may provide inaccurate information. We encourage you to explore all the available options and services provided through the VA and service agencies to find the option that’s right for you and your circumstances.
There is much information that needs to be gathered and prepared when applying for the Aid & Attendance Special Pension. We have compiled a list of the documents you will need, as well as links to download some of the VA and Government Forms that you will need. While it may seem to be a daunting task, we recommend that you read through this site to better your understanding of the application process to be prepared before you speak with any Veterans' Affairs Office.
To apply for the Aid & Attendance Special Pension, you will need the following documents. Prepare these before making your filing.
Discharge/Separation Papers (DD-214). If you need to request military records, you can either fill out Standard Form 180 (right click to save) or, you can visit http://www.archives.gov/st-louis/military-personnel/standard-form-180.html. Full instructions on how to request military records is listed on that site.
Copy of Marriage Certificate and all marital information (surviving spouses only).
Copy of the Death Certificate (surviving spouses only).
Copy of current Social Security Award Letter (the letter that Social Security send at the beginning of the year stating what your monthly amount will be for the following year).
Net Worth information, including bank accounts, CDs, Trusts, Stocks, Bonds, Annuities, etc.
Proof of all income from pensions, retirement, interest income from investments, annuities, etc.
If you are a court-appointed guardian of the veteran or surviving spouse, a certified copy of the court order of the appointment is required.
Proof of insurance premiums, medications, medical bills or any other medical expenses that are not reimbursed by insurance, Medicare, or Medicaid.
Physician statement that includes current diagnosis, medical status, prognosis, name and address, ability to care for self, ability to travel unattended, etc. If you are a veteran in a nursing home, or a family member of a veteran in a nursing home, you can use this form as a certification of that status (right click to save): Nursing Home Status Statement
Banking information for Direct Deposit of A&A monthly payments (include a voided check).
Employment history (does not apply if you are over 65).
List of all doctors and hospitals visited in the last year.
Once you have this information compiled, you will need to obtain and complete VA Form 21-526 and/or VA Form 21-534 for Special Pension benefits with Aid & Attendance. These forms can be downloaded in PDF format here (right click to save):
VA Form 21-526VA Form 21-534
Now that you have all your information, follow the instructions on Form 21-526 or Form 21-534 to file for your Aid & Attendance Special Pension. In most cases, you will send the information to your local or regional Veterans' Administration. If you need assistance with filing your paperwork, you can contact the VA, however, be prepared to encounter someone who is not knowledgeable about this benefit and may provide inaccurate information. We encourage you to explore all the available options and services provided through the VA and service agencies to find the option that’s right for you and your circumstances.
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