Aid & Attendance, pt. 4
December 9th, 2006
I received a letter from the VA today, informing me that my mother had been denied the Dependency and Indemnity Compensation (DIC), as I suspected she would be. I should explain that the application I submitted actually served two purposes: one, to apply for DIC, which is awarded based on service-related medical conditions; and, two, to apply for a death pension for the surviving spouse based on medical conditions that demand “aid & attendance.” My father did not die of a service-related medical condition, so I knew that my mother would not qualify for DIC.
On the other hand, the VA did not make a determination regarding the monthly death pension (Aid & Attendance), which does not surprise me. In October, I wondered whether I should wait until my mother actually moves into assisted living to submit the application–I really couldn’t imagine the VA awarding a death pension based on anticipated expenses. And they will not. They did, though, send along VA Form 21-8416–”Medical Expense Report”–and Form 21-0518-1–”Improved Pension Eligibility Verification Report (Surviving Spouse With No Children)”–and explained that when either her income decreases or her medical expenses increase I can submit both forms to be considered for Aid & Attendance benefits.
My only quibble is that they did not consider her prescription costs this time around because these “were paid prior to your date of claim and weren’t considered to be recurring. Recurring expenses are those which occur on a regular basis and can be accurately predicted.” But I may not have represented the situation clearly enough on the application; I should probably have indicated how long she has already been taking these drugs and not have assumed that the VA would extrapolate from one monthly statement. In any case, I’ll be submitting the revised information to them shortly–although I actually have until December 31, 2008, to send them and still be considered for medical expenses paid after my original application date of October 25, 2006–so I’ll know enough to be more precise.
I didn’t expect to hear from them this soon–a month and a half after applying–so I’m impressed with the expeditiousness of the Providence office.
On a related note, I got a call from the assisted living home that there would almost certainly be an opening in January. I’ll have more particulars on Monday, but I guess I feel both relief and fear at this news. Relief because I really did not want to deal with this before Christmas, and fear–well, I probably don’t need to go into that right now.
We have been on an even keel for the past few weeks. I’ve been going into work for a few days each week, which has improved my outlook, and my mother has not been in the grip of the depression she’s experienced so often in the past. She is still losing ground cognitively, but she has improved, affectively. Her doctor has actually reduced the daily amount of her antidepressant–she had been on 7.5 mg. until her insurance, Humana, stamped their big foot and denied coverage of this amount. So it was back to 5 mg. and, interestingly, an improvement in mood. But she also has the round-the-clock presence of either my sister or me–she is not left alone at all–which is certainly alleviating her previous anxiety at being left alone.
I also visited with the social worker at the local Alzheimer’s Association, who was wonderful to talk to. She spent nearly an hour with me, discussing mostly my ongoing anxiety about assisted living. She also loaned me Moving a Relative with Memory Loss, an excellent book about how (and whether) to talk to your loved one about the impending move, and what to expect of yourself during and after it. It’s a reassuring, practical guide–I’m about to order a copy for myself from the publisher.
So here we are. It’s going to be such a big change that I can’t even think too much about it right now. All I know is that I’ve been knitting ferociously for the past few weeks–I’m finishing a sweater (not the Bohus…yet) and beginning a large lace shawl. As I knit I try to focus on the possibility that I’ll be completing this shawl in my own home. I try to imagine that my mother, after her adjustment period, settles into assisted living and actually enjoys the social stimulation. She realizes (in her way) that Liz and I will always be around, no matter where she lives. I probably shouldn’t spin too pretty a picture for myself, yet.
December 11th, 2006 at 3:09 pm
I just wanted to give you some tips about the Aid and Attendance application. I applied for this on behalf of my Grandmother is late July. I was recently told that it will be another 6 to 8 weeks for the claim to be processed. All expenses listed in the application must be in a 12 month format. For example, if you pull the last three months of precription costs from the pharmacy, you multiple that number by 4. This gives you the annual total. So, if your Mother does move to Assisted Living you will multiply the monthly cost times 12. Also, she does not have to be in assisted living to qualify. The money can also be used for caregiving expenses in the home. I spent a long time researching this application and I would be happy to answer any questions.
January 14th, 2007 at 11:52 pm
I am just starting this process for my mother who just moved into an assisted living facility. Do you know if the monthly cost of the assisted living is an expense the VA accepts as a “medical expense” to reduce income?
February 3rd, 2007 at 11:00 am
Your article is very informative and helped me further.
Thanks, David
February 22nd, 2007 at 11:09 am
I have read your blogs about your attempt to secure benefits from the VA and one comment stuck out. You called yourself “arrogant enough” to attempt to fill out the forms yourself. This is not arrogant, it is pragmatic. Paying $200-600 for someone else to do it is absurd.
I beg anyone here who is contemplating paying for this service to reconsider. I, too, was terrified of the process and considered it myself out of desperation. Instead, I met with the service officer at my county’s VA office who did all the work for me, free of charge. He gave me a list of what he needed and filled out the forms right there on his computer, free of charge, in minutes.
Yes, it took some time to find this “angel”. I began at the federal level, calling any number I could find, explaining our situation and asking how to secure benefits including Aid and Attendance. I was given the name and number of people at the state level, then the regional level, and finally the county level. I literally cried after talking to the county service officer for the first time. But within 2 weeks, the application was submitted.
Within a month, I received a packet as thick as a book requesting additional info. I called the service officer. He told me what to do and within another month, I received a second “book”. I didn’t even read this one, just called the service officer who said, “Don’t worry about it, I already took care of it for you.”
In just over two months, benefits were approved, even though I was initially told we didn’t qualify. All due to the VA service officer who knew the process and helped us maximize our application.
Some have tried to tell me that my situation is unique. Perhaps, but I can tell you that even at the federal level, everyone I spoke to did their best to be helpful and accommodating; and if they couldn’t help me, they gave me the name and number of someone they thought could.
Another of your readers suggested the American Legion as a source of free assistance. Try this as well. But please, do not pay anyone a dime until you have exhausted all other options.
April 18th, 2007 at 7:35 pm
I have been helping families get information on this program for the last 4 years and have helped hundreds of seniors. The problems are varied and many in access to the funds. After doing this for so long part of the problem is finding the right person to help. Lets face it it is an application that is rarely applied for in comparison to others for Vets. Finding the one in your area that knows the “ins & outs” is what it takes.
Do not get discouraged. I have talked to Vet Service officers that have no problem telling people that Mom won’t qualify since Dad did not have a “service connected” disability. This information is just INCORRECT.
As far as the Assisted Living question AL was not around when Abe Lincoln first started this program. If your parent has a 1 bedroom the going rate for a 1 bedroom in your area would be an approx residential portion of the total fee. The remainder might be a way to look at the cost of care. Some properties have a breakdown they use. PS I don’t charge a fee. Keep trying Pat