Nursing Home Care Planning for Veterans
Nursing homes are becoming increasingly unaffordable for most Americans. The average cost of a nursing home in North Carolina is estimated to be $5,500 per month. Fortunately, if you are a veteran, you may be eligible for assistance from the government.
The Department of Veterans Affairs offers two options to help with your long-term nursing home care:
- The veterans’ health care system;
- The North Carolina state veterans’ home system.
Another option is to seek Aid and Attendance benefits. The application process for these options can be lengthy and complex and may require you to meet certain income and asset criteria. A North Carolina elder law attorney can help you to decide which option is the best one for you and show you how to plan your estate so that you won’t jeopardize your eligibility for these benefits.
To learn more about veterans’ nursing home benefits and to discuss your specific planning needs, contact the attorneys at TrustCounsel today by calling us toll-free at (800) 201-0413 or by e-mailing us at info@trustcounselpa.com.
VA Health Care System
If you are a qualifying veteran, you can receive nursing home coverage through the Veterans Health Administration. The VA operates nursing home care units and also contracts with private facilities throughout North Carolina. Veterans may qualify for nursing home care if they:
- Have a 70 percent or higher service-connected disability rating;
- Have a 60 percent or higher service-connected disability rating and are unemployable or have an official permanent and total disability rating;
- Have a combined disability rating of 70 percent or higher;
- Have a service-connected disability that has been clinically determined to require nursing home care;
- Are a non-service-connected veteran or zero percent, noncompensable service-connected veteran who meets certain income and asset criteria; or
- Are a veteran who doesn’t fit into the above categories if space and resources are available.
In all cases, priority is given to service-connected veterans who need nursing home care for post-acute rehabilitation, respite, hospice, spinal cord injury treatment or geriatric evaluation and management.
State Veterans Homes
North Carolina operates two full-service, skilled nursing facilities for veterans: One is located near the VA Medical Center in Fayetteville, and the other is based on the Hefner Medical Center campus in Salisbury. They are state-licensed and approved for Medicare, Medicaid and third-party insurance.
The rate of payment is based on the actual cost of care and the veteran’s ability to pay using available resources. To be eligible, the veteran must:
- Have served in the military for purposes other than training;
- Received an honorable discharge;
- Have lived in North Carolina for at least two years prior to the application;
- Be disabled and unable to earn a living; and
- Receive a referral from a licensed physician, stating that the veteran is in need of skilling nursing home care.
Aid and Attendance Benefits
A veteran may also be eligible to receive the VA’s non-service-connected improved pension benefit, which is also called the “Aid and Attendance” benefit. This program provides supplemental funds to veterans and their spouses who have either a low income or are simply struggling to pay for high medical costs, including nursing home care.
A veteran does not need to show a service-connected disability to qualify. Instead, the veteran must have:
- Served at least 90 days of active duty, with at least one of those days during a time of war;
- Been honorably discharged; and
- Meet certain income and asset tests.
If a veteran meets these requirements, then his or her surviving spouse or widow may also be eligible to receive the benefits. The maximum allowable pension rate (MAPR) is $1,644 for a single veteran, $1,056 for a single spouse of a veteran and $1,944 for a couple.
To meet the income test, the veteran’s countable income must be below the MAPR. However, even if the veteran’s income exceeds the MAPR, that income could be adjusted downward by deducting his or her unreimbursed medical expenses.
To meet the asset test, the veteran’s total net assets cannot be “excessive,” which is determined on a case-by-case basis by a veterans’ service representative. As a general rule, the assets must be below $80,000. A personal residence, automobile and personal property are exempt assets, however, and a veteran can transfer assets or convert them to income without incurring a penalty in order to qualify for benefits.
A North Carolina elder law attorney can work with a veteran to determine how to transfer these assets while staying within the VA rules and without triggering transfer penalties that may impact the veteran’s eligibility for Medicaid benefits, which may be needed as well to pay for nursing home care.
Contact Us Today
If you are a veteran who is worried about how you and your family will pay for your nursing home care, you need to consider the veterans’ options discussed above. The experienced and knowledgeable elder law attorneys at TrustCounsel can work with you on ensuring you plan well for the day when you may need nursing home care. Contact us today at (800) 201-0413 or by e-mailing us at info@trustcounselpa.com.
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