A great announcement about Aid and Attendance.

We're trying to get A and A to pay me, for taking care of husband of 53 years. He can't walk now . But was told that hubby could pay anyone but me. Cause were married. Someone can come in and do something but and get paid But I still do mostly or be gone when their doing it. and come back and still wind up doing it.
I would have to give up my Medicaid and get Insurance and File . in order to get paid. How much is to be determined ?? We're in our 70's. and new to this area about 6 yrs. know noone . have 2 kinfolks but they drink- and smoke. So my delima(sp) What to do. VA. A and A. ??

Thank you everyone, I guess once I get her into an assisted living I will apply. Like you said a denial doesn't cost anything :)

Cothrangirl3, the income limit for a surviving spouse with no dependents is $13,563 (according to our 2014 denial paperwork). We've had changes to my mom's medical expenses so decided to appeal. Currently waiting on the VA's decision.

It won't hurt to ask and/or apply, cothrangirl3, to be certain - it costs nothing to be turned down. Since Medicaid pays first, there is no holding onto any savings, even any VA awards or VA pension savings. An aside worth noting, however, is that VA money received and kept in the original bank account that it was automatically deposited into cannot be garnisheed for any of your mother's private bills, loan payments, etc. Keep that in mind in case she has any outstanding debts.

Another thing I discovered was that the VSO's (Veteran Service Officer) that had helped us all along with dad's various applications suddenly wasn't there one day. All the in-hospital volunteers were no longer there and the offices were closed. So we had to travel to the closest VA regional office instead. We did find them to be very helpful there, however, and they were able to tell us right away what mom qualified for and what she didn't, even while they were preparing the forms for us. Take your mom with you if at all possible (they will have her sign an affidavit so that you can speak for her) and any paperwork that you have from VA plus the vet's discharge paper, especially, if you have it. Prepare to spend a lot of time there.

A disclaimer, this is what I found, but you will want to investigate for yourself! I hope you are successful for your mom's sake and thank you for your dad's service.

That's what I was wondering. Right now she lives on her own but shortly will have to go into and assisted living. It will drain her savings because it will cost 1300 a month more than what she makes. I was hoping Aid and Attendance would help :(

VA regs are that any vet 90 or over gets precedence when applying for A&A, compensation, etc.

Also, everything that a vet's spouse applies for will be approved or denied based upon her income. My mom made $300.00 per month too much to qualify for anything at all. If anything changes however, as in medical fees increasing, you can reapply. Save any receipts or invoices for medical care. I also found that long-term care (nursing home) for a spouse will be paid by Medicaid first, then VA will pay any fees remaining. So all the requirements for Medicaid apply before any veteran status is considered.

My mom does not receive a VA pension. My father was a veteran. Would she qualify for aid and attendance? She gets @ 2300 per month ss and retirement funds

I stopped in at local VA office Wednesday and the cutoff I was told for benefits was $80 K in assets. I was also told the VA does not inquire like Medicare does as who the assets get drawn to that amount.

I KNOW! I think I have the record! I met two women tonight at the ALA...one had taken 2 years! one had taken 8 months. Mine in 3 months is almost a record! whew...

Awesome!! You gave me and I am sure many others a ray of hope!!

Happy for you!...it is hard enough without all the added stress (BS)

Congratulations!! It is so great to hear such news. The VA benefits for my mom have been a blessing. I share your joy.

I know, pamsteqman! when I drove the paperwork to the veteran agency and handed it to him personally, I said "please make sure this is perfect because I really need an A plus (okay so im a type b personality!) He said I forgot to cross one t, but other than that, it was an A and that he had set it as a priority because of being over 90. I guess it didn't hurt that we knew some ex-veterans administration people that we called just in case it mattered. who knows? man, surprised me! whooohooo! I am still heaving sighs of relief. at 65, I cant afford to spend my retirement money (boy, don't we all know how that goes?)

Three months is some kind of new world-record turn around for the VA. Congratulations!!!

So happy to hear your good news!

WONDERFUL Linda, WONDERFUL! I must keep my fingers from running so far ahead of my thoughts! Too many typos....:)

That's wonder Linda! Not knowing much about that benefit, when I inquired a few years back, I was told that because my father (WWII Vet that was in Japan during the war) owned his own home and had a second vehicle, would not be approved.
Maybe there was another way but... You don't know what you don't know. In any event my sister and I lost a lot of income while caring for our father, 24/7 for a few years. I wonder if it is possible to re-coup some of it?