Proposed Changes to Veterans’ Aid and Attendance Benefits

Proposed Changes to Veterans’ Aid and Attendance Benefits

The Veterans’ Aid and Attendance pension is an important benefit that many seniors receive to assist in paying for care.  Changes to the program are being explored which could make it difficult for families to receive this benefit in the future.According to the U.S. Department of Veteran Affairs website, “Veterans and survivors who are eligible for a VA pension and require the aid and attendance of another person, or are housebound, may be eligible for additional monetary payment. These benefits are paid in addition to monthly pension, and they are not paid without eligibility to Pension.”There are several requirements that must be met in order to receive this benefit.The Aid & Attendance (A&A) increased monthly pension amount may be added to your monthly pension amount if you meet one of the following conditions:

• You require the aid of another person in order to perform personal functions required in everyday living, such as bathing, feeding, dressing, attending to the wants of nature, adjusting prosthetic devices, or protecting yourself from the hazards of your daily environment
• You are bedridden, in that your disability or disabilities requires that you remain in bed apart from any prescribed course of convalescence or treatment
• You are a patient in a nursing home due to mental or physical incapacity
• Your eyesight is limited to a corrected 5/200 visual acuity or less in both eyes; or concentric contraction of the visual field to 5 degrees or less

In January, the Veterans Administration announced proposed changes to the Aid and Attendance benefit. If these changes are approved, many wartime veterans and their surviving spouses will find themselves ineligible for this important long-term care benefit. The benefit change could happen as soon as October 2015.Reasons for the change:

• Pension Used By Those Not In Need Financially or Physically: The VA had concerns that veterans and others were attempting to hide assets in order to gain access to the programs that were meant for needs-based veterans and their surviving spouses.  Also, they felt that people were using the pension who did not really need it as they do not need care in the home.

• Excessive Care Costs: The VA desired to put a cap on the amount per hour that care companies charge for home care standards to come more in line with industry standards.

• Slow Response Time For Help: The VA realized that the speed at which they were able to award the pension was hindered by the complexity of the current application process, both to the VA and to those applying for the program.  They feel the new regulations will allow the VA to award the pension in a timelier manner.

The proposed rule establishes new definitions for certain countable assets and new rules regarding the transfer of assets. The proposed rule includes a three-year look-back on asset transfers, the establishment of a 10-year penalty period, and a rule that a primary residence with more than two acres would be considered a countable asset.If you feel your loved one(s) could use the Veterans’ Aid and Attendance benefits, please call our office and we can refer you to a professional who can help you evaluate your eligibility and access this benefit.Image courtesy of stockimages at FreeDigitalPhotos.net