The VA Aid and Attendance benefit that helps eligible wartime Veterans and their surviving spouses pay for long-term care is not well-publicized. We were happy to hear it mentioned on Southern California Public Radio Station KPCC’s (89.3) show “Take Two” on February 19, 2020. You can listen to the segment by clicking on this link: Take Two. The discussion of Aid and Attendance starts 25:25 minutes into the show.
The processing time for the Aid and Attendance application can take many months. Thus, delays can create real hardships for Veterans in need. It was noteworthy that the family interviewed indicated that part of the delay in receiving this important Veterans benefit was caused by filing the wrong form – something that should not have happened if they were working with a VA Accredited attorney or VA Accredited Service Organization. Both J. Terrence Moynihan and Maureen A. Lyons are VA accredited attorneys.
The radio segment was also just a snapshot into the area of long-term care planning. When creating a strategy for how to pay for long-term care, a broad understanding of both VA Aid and Attendance rules and the criteria to qualify for Medi-Cal to pay for long-term care in a skilled nursing facility provides Californians with the most options as they plan for future care. Elder law attorneys who are VA accredited and also experts in Medi-Cal (Medicaid in other states) long-term care planning regularly help families plan for the future without going broke.
Source: Southern California Public Radio Station KPCC’s (89.3) show “Take Two” on February 19, 2020 (https://www.scpr.org/programs/take-two/2020/02/19/20599/)