A&A for Nursing Home Resident

[tayers]

I'm a Social Worker in a Nursing Home and want to advocate for my veteran's to have the benefits they deserve, but can someone explain the benefit of applying for A&A if Medicaid is already paying for the Nusing Home stay?

[vetadmin]

Patty,

Good for you for wanting to help your residents. 

The laws regulating Medicaid vary from state to state, and applicant cannot benefit from a full award since the state is paying for all of their care.  However depending on the state the applicant would be entitled to $30.00 - $90.00.

 Search your own state's Medicaid regulations to make sure the Federal stance that the $90 A&A award is excluded from income and asset testing is in your state's medicaid regs - the only variations I have found to date is that some states will never include the $90 in an asset test as long as it is kept separately identifiable and that some states don't exclude it from asset testing - i.e. keep the total under the $2,000 limit.  Either way, there is usually no hassle or delay for the $90 due every veteran or surviving spouse in a nursing home on Medicaid.

[jpez]

FOR calarification.
The $90 award is income. (not an asset.)  it is not counted in the month it is recieved.
however, in the next month the $90 is now in the checking account and is now concidered an asset.
Example:  single vet in nursing home for custodial care.
He recieves 2455 from Social Security. And 90 from VA.
he has $1900 in his checking account on the first day of the month.
his SS arrivers on the 5th. 1900 + 2455 = $4355 balance on 5th
his Share of cost for the nursing home is (using CA) 2455-35(personal needs allowance)= $2420
he writes check for $2420 on the 6th: $4355-2420= $  1935  is the balance.
his VA check is auto deposited on the 10th   1935 + 90 = $2025
he doesnt spend any money the rest of the month.
1.) Is he over the asset limit of $2000 for the current month?
answer: NO! Medicaid states you have to be below the limit 1 day (anyday) in the month. he had 1900 on the first day 2nd 3rd 4th.
w
now it is the 1st day of the new month he has 2025
on the 5th he gets 2455
he writes check for 2420

his balance is $2060 and then he gets his 90.
new balance is 2150. If he doesnt spend $151 he will be eneligible for the current month.The rule is : yes, the va check, when left in the acount indefinately will biuldup and be counted as an asset