The Veterans Administration offers a veteran or the surviving spouse of a veteran long term care benefits through its Aid and Attendance program.
To receive this benefit, the veteran does not have to have a service-related disability. If the veteran or surviving spouse needs assistance with the activities of daily living they are eligible for Aid and Attendance.
In addition to needing assistance with the activities of daily living, to qualify a veteran must have served at least 90 days, with at least one day during a wartime period and have received any discharge other than dishonorable.
There are income and asset limits that must be met as well. Generally, the veteran or spouse can have no more than $80,000 in assets. However, the definition of assets excludes a house and a vehicle. Also, income must be less than the Maximum Annual Pension Rate (MAPR). Income does not include welfare benefits or Supplemental Security Income. Nor does it include unreimbursed medical expenses actually paid. Such unreimbursed expenses can include premiums for Medicare, Medigap, and long term care insurance; certain over-the-counter medications and long term care costs, which include the cost of an assisted living facility, nursing home, or in home care giver. In essence you take your income, subtract your unreimbursed medical expenses to determine your “countable income” for Aid and Attendance purposes. The difference between your MAPR and your countable income is the amount one can receive in aid and attendance. So if your MAPR is $20,795 and you have countable income of $5,795 (income minus medical expenses) you could receive $15,000 in benefit.
For a veteran or his or her surviving spouse this may be a valuable benefit worth exploring.
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