These are some of the questions Veterans Home Care receives about our VetAssist Program:
Q: What does Veterans Home Care’s VetAssist® Program do?
Answer:
We help veterans or their surviving spouses, who may qualify for a special Department of Veterans Affairs (VA) benefit known as “Aid and Attendance”, to remain in the comfort of their own homes and receive assistance with activities of daily living. We assist in the application process, including helping the veteran assemble and file all necessary paperwork. We also provide home care workers, schedule and oversee care. With our exclusive VetAssist® Program, qualified applicants begin home care almost immediately, with no up-front costs to them.
Q: Who is this VA benefit for?
Answer:
This little-known Department of Veterans Affairs pension is for veterans with an honorable or general discharge who have served at least 90 days on active duty, with at least one day of service during a period of war, or their surviving spouses. To qualify for this particular benefit, which pays for personal care services, the disabilities must not be service-related. There are also financial limitations associated with the pension. Feel free to contact us for details about qualifying for Aid and Attendance (VA Non Service Connected Pension with Aid and Attendance Benefit).
Q: Why do I need Veterans Home Care? Can’t I file for the VA’s Aid and Attendance Pension Benefit myself?
Answer:
You certainly can assemble the necessary paperwork, fill out the VA forms and file without our assistance. Be aware that even if you qualify, the Department of Veterans Affairs (VA) may not approve your claim and begin reimbursing your expenses for several months. Or, the VA may determine that you qualify for less than the maximum benefit.
Veterans Home Care has been assisting veterans with applications to the VA since 2003. We know what documentation they require. We will help you to file the paperwork to receive the maximum possible benefit. With your permission, we also follow up with the VA on your behalf throughout the claim approval process. And, when you’re a VetAssist® Program client, you begin receiving care promptly after the application is filed, which you’re able to pay for thanks to an interest-free loan. This loan is a unique service of our VetAssist® Program; you simply reimburse us for those initial months’ expenses from your retroactive VA payment, once your claim is approved.
Even after you begin receiving your pension, we continue working for you – monitoring your care and helping you with ongoing paperwork the VA requires, so you continue to receive the maximum benefit.
Q: I think my income is too high to receive benefits. How can I “shelter” my assets so I can qualify?
Answer:
We do not help veteran families shelter assets or sell financial products to help veteran families shelter assets in order to qualify for VA assistance.You will need to address that issue with your own trusted attorney or financial adviser. Veterans Home Care only works with clients who qualify based on verifiable financial need in compliance with VA guidelines.
Q: I don’t know if I qualify for Aid and Attendance. How do I find out?
Answer:
Call us or enter your contact information on our “Contact Us” page. One of our enrollment specialists will ask you some preliminary questions to assess your qualifications for the benefit. It only takes a few minutes of your time to determine if the “Aid and Attendance” VA pension is for you.Q: What’s involved in applying for the VA pension and how would you help me with it?
Answer:
The VA requires a variety of documents − including armed services discharge papers, proof of assets, marriage license and death certificate (if you are a surviving spouse) –which we can help you assemble. We will also request required medical information from your physician to verify your need for in-home personal care services. We will assist you to file the paperwork with the Department of Veterans Affairs (VA) and we will set up your home care once the application goes to the VA. The best part is that you don’t have to wait for the VA to approve your claim in order to begin receiving services. We will provide you with help at the beginning of the month after paperwork is submitted.
Q: What happens if my claim is denied?
Answer:
If you have provided us with complete information and we have helped you fill out the applications, and the Department of Veterans Affairs has denied your claim due to your medical condition, you will not be held responsible to repay your loan.
