Veteran's Benefits and Long Term Care Insurance
Veterans Benefits
If the care recipient or their spouse served even one day during wartime, then they are eligible for the VA Aide and Attendance Pension, which reimburses them for up to $2100 each and every month towards a live-in caregiver, or other assisted lving choices.
“The Veterans Aid and Attendance (A&A) Pension provides benefits that reduce the cost of care for veterans and surviving spouses who require assisted living.
The Aid and Attendance (A&A) Pension provides benefits for veterans and surviving spouses who require the regular attendance of another person to assist in eating, bathing, dressing and undressing or taking care of the needs of nature. It also includes individuals who are blind or a patient in a nursing home because of mental or physical incapacity. Assisted care in an assisting living facility also qualifies.
The A&A Pension can provide up to $1,788 per month to a veteran, $1,149 per month to a surviving spouse, or $2,120 per month to a couple. A veteran filing with a sick spouse is eligable for up to $1,406 per month. Many families overlook the A&A Pension as it pertains to veterans who are still independent, but have an ill spouse. Keep in mind that in this situation, if the spouse’s medical expenses completely depletes their combined monthly income, the Veteran can file as a Veteran with a sick spouse.”
VA information courtesy of our friends at VeteranAid.org Visit them by clicking on their logo below.
Long Term Care Insurance
If you have Long Term Care insurance, most policies will stipulate that you must need help with at least 2 activities of daily living , and use a “licensed or certified care provider” in order for you to be reimbursed. In most states, this means you’ll need to hire a C.N.A or H.H.A. who have a current and valid state certificate from the board of nursing. You should be aware that some strict policies also require that you use a fully state licensed home health agency to supply the HHA / C.N.A. In those cases, you will not be able to private hire or contract with your own live-in aide directly.
The LTC insurance company will provide you with daily log sheets that you must have the live-in fill out and give you each week. Normally you will have to fax these sheets with the live-ins weekly invoice for services to the LTC insurance companies billing department each week to be reimbursed. Beware to ensure that the home aide does not include any services that are provided outside of the home (escorting to doctors, church etc..), as most LTC insurance policies will not pay for home aide services provided outside of the home. How much will they pay? That depends on the policy that you purchased, and any home care stipulation that the policy has.
Common policies will cover $100-$200 per day for a HHA live-in caregiver. FYI, the average policy takes about 60-90 days before reimbursement checks start.
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