The Aid and Attendance benefit is a pension program developed by the Veteran’s Administration to help veterans of all ages get Veterans home care when they need it. Now, what does it mean for a veteran to “need” some type of home care service?
For veterans under 65, they need to be considered completely disabled to qualify for Aid and Attendance benefits. For veterans 65 and over, though, they don’t have to be considered completely disabled, but there must be a documentable requirement for Veterans home care, most commonly provided through a doctor’s recommendation.
Other requirements must be met for a veteran to be eligible for Aid and Attendance benefits, including time of service, length of service, and combined income and assets.
It can take a long time for the approval process to complete.
Depending on the year, the Veteran’s Administration could be backed up with applications for a variety of pensions. Some veterans have reported up to nine months or even more waiting for Aid and Attendance approval.
The VA does offer reimbursement for in-home care services provided while the application was pending, but that is predicated upon it being approved.
Well, what happens if a veteran is denied Aid and Attendance benefits, yet they fervently believe they should have been approved?
Can a veteran reapply for this pension?
The Aid and Attendance pension program is different than some others the VA does offer for a wide range of purposes. In most cases, the VA will not accept new applications shortly after an initial one was denied.
What the veteran can do in this type of situation is appeal the decision by the VA. If the veteran is convinced he or she should have been approved based on all of the qualifications and factors, they should write an appeal letter to the board asking them to reconsider.
What are the requirements for veterans to be eligible for Aid and Attendance?
First and foremost, they need to have served at least 90 days of active duty service in one of the major branches of the United States military. At least one of those days of active duty service needs to have fallen during a time when the United States was officially engaged in combat somewhere in the world. The four major combat periods include World War II, the Korean War, the Vietnam Conflict, and the Gulf War.
If the veteran is 65 or over and has received a letter of recommendation for in-home care support services from their primary care physician, that is also a requirement. If they are not completely disabled and under 65, that could be the reason why they were denied coverage.
One of the more common reasons why some veterans are denied Aid and Attendance is because their combined income and assets (which do not include assets that cannot be quickly converted into cash) are higher than the current VA threshold. If they were denied because of their financial situation, they may be eligible to reapply at some point in the future should their financial circumstances change. In the meantime, they can appeal the decision if they honestly believe it was the wrong one.
If you or an aging loved one are considering Veterans Home Care in Youngsville, LA, please contact the caring staff at BrightCare Homecare today. Call (337) 279-5466
BrightCare Homecare is a top provider of home care services in Lafayette, Youngsville, Broussard, New Iberia, Breaux Bridge, Carencro, Opelousas, Sunset, Crowley, Abbeville, Scott, Cecilia, Port Barre, Iota, and the surrounding areas.
Through a personalized care plan, BrightCare Homecare provides the necessary services and care to cater to your unique personal and health needs. With us, we ensure around-the-clock services and supervision to help achieve optimum health and wellness.
We are a top provider of home care services in Lafayette, Youngsville, Broussard, New Iberia, Breaux Bridge, Carencro, Opelousas, Sunset, Crowley, Abbeville, Scott, Cecilia, Port Barre, Iota, and the surrounding areas.
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