For many people, paying for a nursing home or nursing care can be difficult. If an individual doesn’t have sufficient resources or a long-term care insurance policy, choices may be limited. However, if the individual (or his or her spouse) is a veteran, he or she may qualify for Aid and Attendance Pension.
Any war-time veteran with 90 days of active duty is eligible. This pension provides benefits to veterans and their surviving spouses who require help from another person in eating, bathing, dressing and undressing, or using the restroom. Assisted care in a nursing home also qualifies.
In order to qualify, a veteran or his or her spouse must have it established by a doctor that the individual needs help from others to dress, undress, bathe, cook, eat, leave home, and more. You may not require help with all of these functions, but there must be medical evidence that you can’t completely function on your own.
In order to qualify for Aid & Attendance, veterans must have less than a certain amount in assets, not counting their home and vehicle. Their income must also not exceed a certain amount, which depends on whether they have dependents and are a veteran or a spouse. Income from welfare and SSI don’t count towards the income total, and un-reimbursed medical expenses are deducted from the income amount to determine the total.
There are many rules for Aid & Attendance. There may also be other ways to pay for a nursing home or assisted living facility of which you may not be aware.
If you have questions about paying for a nursing home or any other elder law questions, call the New York Elder Law Attorneys at Friedman & Ranzenhofer at 716-542-5444. Our attorneys will be happy to help you with your case. Call us today.
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