The Essential Eldercare Handbook for Nevada

Chapter Six: Veterans’ Benefits

59 c h a p t e r s i x • Veterans’ Benefits The Department of Veterans Affairs (VA) provides long-term home, community, residential, and nursing home care for veterans. Some of the care is provided in or through the VA’s own facilities, and some is contracted with local agencies or facilities. There is a type of federal pension benefit that may be available to wartime veterans and surviving spouses who have long-term care needs. This benefit is called a special improved pension for the veteran and a death pension for the single surviving spouse. Both pensions are often referred to as aid and attendance benefits, even though that is not the actual name. An understanding of these rules will help position you or your loved one to qualify for these federal benefits. Another benefit called compensation is for veterans and qualifying dependents when the veteran has suffered a disability connected to the service. Many people do not pursue pension because they think the disability must be service connected. That is not the case for pension benefits. Few people know about the pension benefit for war veterans and their surviving spouses. This chapter is designed to help you understand this underused benefit. What Is Pension? Improved pension and death pension are disability income programs available to veterans or to the single surviving spouses of deceased veterans. The veteran had to have served on active duty at least ninety days, with one of those days during a period of war. Two years of active 60 The Essential Eldercare Handbook for Nevada duty is required for those serving in the Gulf War. Service in combat is not required, only that the veteran was in the service during wartime and was discharged other than dishonorably. Charts showing the dates for wartime service are included below. Period of War Beginning and Ending Dates World War II December 7, 1941, through December 31, 1946 Korean Conflict June 27, 1950, through January 31, 1955 Vietnam Era August 5, 1964, through May 7, 1975; for veterans who served “in country” before August 5, 1964–February 28, 1961 through May 7, 1975 Gulf War August 2, 1990, through a date to be set by law or presidential proclamation In order to receive the pension benefit, a veteran household must meet the criteria above as well as meeting an income and asset test and, in most cases, a medical needs test. The VA will deny the application if the net worth is such that part of it could be consumed for the claimant’s care. The claimant’s countable income cannot exceed the maximum annual pension rate. In computing income, certain items can be deducted from income, including unreimbursed medical expenses paid by a claimant. Many items are included in unreimbursed medical expenses, such as the cost of an assisted living facility, in-home care, adult day care, and nursing home care. Medical Needs Test If the veteran is younger than sixty-five, he or she must be permanently and totally disabled. If the veteran is sixty-five or older, there is no disability rating requirement. For single surviving spouses applying for death pension, there is no disability rating requirement. The VA will provide additional income over the basic pension if the claimant meets the requirements for housebound or aid and attendance. Housebound benefits may be available to a veteran or a single surviving spouse of a veteran who has been determined to be disabled and is essentially confined to the home. Aid and attendance benefits may be available to a veteran or a single surviving spouse of a veteran who Veterans' Benefits 61 meets one of the following conditions: claimant is blind; claimant is living in a nursing home; or claimant has a physical or mental incapacity that requires regular assistance to protect the claimant from daily environmental hazards. Income Tests The household income of the veteran or the single surviving spouse cannot exceed the maximum allowable pension rate (MAPR) income for that category of application. Countable income is all income attributable to the claimant, the claimant’s spouse, and the claimant’s dependent children. The following table lists current MAPR for the year 2013. Status and Medical Rating Veteran Surviving Spouse No medical rating/no dependent 1,038.00 696.00 No medical rating/one dependent 1,360.00 911.00 Housebound rating/no dependent 1,269.00 851.00 Housebound rating...