Medicaid or Social Security and the Aid and Attendance Benefit: Aid and Attendance Benefit FAQ
Posted in Uncategorized on March 17, 2016
Tags: aid and attendance, FAQ, tips for seniors, veterans, veterans benefits
Can a veteran and/or spouse be receiving Medicaid or Social Security, or even both, and still receive the veterans Aid
and Attendance pension benefit? The short answer is yes, but there are some details you need to know.
Social Security
A veteran or spouse, or both, can be receiving Social Security and still qualify for the full Aid and Attendance benefit amount if they are eligible to begin with. The only thing Social Security affects is the income of the veteran and/or spouse that is included when counting the assets in order to qualify financially.
Medicaid.
This one is a bit trickier. Because the government is technically paying for a person's care when they are receiving Medicaid, the VA is not going to let that person receive the full amount of additional Aid and Attendance award money.
However, if a veteran and/or spouse is receiving Medicaid and they are still struggling for funds to be able to afford care, they can apply for the Aid and Attendance benefit. The highest amount one can be awarded Aid and Attendance money while receiving Medicaid is $90. And this $90 has to be spent on personal care items only such as shampoo, soap, Depends, etc.
I hope this helps clear up some questions regarding Medicaid and Social Security when it comes to qualifying for the Aid and Attendance benefit.
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8 Responses to “Medicaid or Social Security and the Aid and Attendance Benefit: Aid and Attendance Benefit FAQ”
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[…] Social Security numbers of the deceased Veteran, spouse, and dependent children […]
can a veteran request his aid and attendance benefits be terminated at any time because he doesn't want the benefit.
can a veteran request termination of his aid and attendance be terminated because he doesn't want the extra income?
Yes, Gayle, a veteran can request their A&A award be terminated. Simply send in a Statement in Support of Claim form 21-4138 to make this request.
A couple receiving the full A&A Pension Benefit in an Assisted living and Veteran spouse has to go to a skilled nursing facility and apply for Medicaid, can the remaining spouse continue to live in the Assisted Living utilizing the Husbands VA Pension Benefit.?
That is a good question, Vicki. I would say most likely she would not still be able to continue using the A&A benefit as a "veteran with spouse". But she could reapply as a "sick spouse of veteran" only. The maximum amount would change but she might still be able to receive the benefit. You could always submit a Statement in Support of Claim form 21-4138 asking to reclassify her specific case of the A&A benefit. Including any and all evidence you can that shows he is the only one on Medicaid, she still lives in ALF, bank statements, etc.
If My Dad is receiving Aid and Attendance from the VA for in home care, can he also collect Medicaide while collecting his full benefit from the VA?
Tracy, if you read the article above you will notice there is no way your father can receive both the full A&A benefit amount and Medicaid. He can only receive a maximum of $90 in A&A money if he chooses to go with Medicaid.