VETERANS AID AND ATTENDANCE BENEFIT
Long Term Care Benefits for Veterans

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"Aid and Attendance" Is a Catchphrase for VA Aid and attendance pension benefit Income

Even though over 90% of this book is devoted to issues associated with aid and attendance, technically there is no such thing as a veterans "aid and attendance benefit". The use of this phrase has become predominantly accepted as a description for a veterans disability income program called "Aid and attendance pension benefit." Our readers will not find many instances in these pages for the phrase "aid and attendance," but they will find countless phrases and words associated with the aid and attendance pension benefit benefit.

Aid and attendance pension benefit income is available to single veterans, to veteran households with one or more dependents, or to the surviving spouse and/or surviving dependent children of a veteran. Federal regulations allow the Department of Veterans Affairs to pay an additional income to a household receiving aid and attendance pension benefit if the veteran or the surviving spouse has additional need for the regular aid and attendance from another person or is housebound.

Definitions of these two conditions are too lengthy to present here, but in general if a person is in a nursing home or if that person is helpless or blind or so nearly helpless or blind as to need or require the regular aid and attendance of another person, then VA will generally pay more money for aid and attendance pension benefit income. A disability that causes confinement to one's immediate premises is called "housebound" and VA will pay additional aid and attendance pension benefit income for this condition as well. These additional incomes are called respectively "aid and attendance allowance" and "housebound allowance."

So why the public use of aid and attendance to describe the aid and attendance pension benefit benefit? The public’s recent focus on this benefit is a result of aid and attendance pension benefit being awarded to veteran households who are receiving care in nursing homes, assisted living, or from home health aides. A Aid and attendance pension benefit recipient in a nursing home is automatically granted the aid and attendance allowance for aid and attendance pension benefit income. An eligible recipient in assisted living must have a need for aid and attendance or be housebound; otherwise, that person may fail the income test and not qualify for aid and attendance pension benefit income, including either allowance. A aid and attendance pension benefit recipient at home receives a better benefit including either allowance if he or she has a need for aid and attendance or is housebound. Because the aid and attendance allowance is awarded more frequently than the housebound allowance, "aid and attendance" has become the phrase predominantly associated with aid and attendance pension benefit income related to long term care services.

A book on long term care benefits for veterans would not be complete without discussing other valuable programs available from Veterans Affairs. Interestingly, some of these programs tie in with the aid and attendance pension benefit benefit and someone receiving aid and attendance pension benefit can become eligible for some of these benefits, but without aid and attendance pension benefit that person may not be eligible. This is particularly true for benefits available from the Veterans Health Care Administration. The same is true for those eligible for HISA grants. State veterans homes also rely heavily on their residents receiving aid and attendance pension benefit.

We suspect this is the most comprehensive, non-government book ever published, detailing information about long term care benefits for veterans, especially our treatment of the aid and attendance pension benefit benefit. It is our intent to help the public understand these issues and because of this understanding to achieve success in applying for and receiving these benefits.