questions about address and physician statement

[DChapmom]

I am getting ready to file for A&A for my 83 year old mother, a veteran's surviving spouse.  I understand most of this process now- thanks to this website and wonderful forum!  My questions are:

1.  My mother has been living in a senior apartment subsidized by HUD. She was at the point of not being able to care for herself and I was starting to get ready to work on this process with her PCP when she suffered a stroke 2 weeks ago.  She is currently in a nursing home paying the $50 per day co-pay from her SCAN (medicare advantage) insurance. Since her stroke, she cannot walk and has little use of her left arm and is bedridden.  We are planning to have her moved to a Board and Care as soon as they discharge her, which will be very soon according to them.  Her income from social security and survivor pension totals $1890/month.  The Board and Care will be $2500. We have made the deposit to hold her a room there. HUD will stop as soon as she moves.  I need to file in the next few days and plan to use the address of the Board and Care she will go to for the process for her, since she will not return to her apartment and will not be in the SNF much longer.  Is that okay? Make it your address

2.  For the physicians/nursing home statement.  The SNF says they will complete the Nursing Home Status Statement and the Medical Statement but my concern is that she has ongoing medical issues that have made it difficult for her live alone without assistance that her PCP knows about and this Dr does not.  Since she had her stroke on a Saturday morning and went straight from hospital to the SNF her PCP has not been involved. Whats the best way to make sure the info on those forms shows she cannot take care of herself even if she were to recover from the stroke? Let them fill it out, and if you are unhappy with it, tell them why.

[DChapmom]

THANK YOU all again for all the wonderful information on these boards!  I submitted my Mother's claim in July 2010 putting it all together in a 3 ring binder as suggested.  I took the package to our local VA office here in Santa Ana, CA where they forwarded it to St. Paul MN. We received the usual letters "we have received your claim and are reviewing...".  In late September I sent an email to our local Assemblyman.  I followed up with a call to his office 3 weeks later and they told me they had sent an inquiry to the VA and to check back with them in a few weeks.  On Nov 3rd the VA called my Mother and asked her a few questions and then called me with her permission.  I answered a few question about her income. On November 8th my mother received her award letter!  YEAH!  The are going to do the fiduciary process which is fine by me.  We are sending in the form 21-0845 and the form 21-4138 both with my Mother stating she wishes for me to represent her.  I am sure we will go through an interview process but the letter states she will begin getting her benefits effective Nov 1st which will be deposited Dec 1st.  So I just want to encourage everyone to use this forum, send in a complete packet and contact a local goverment official for expedience.  It works!

[vetadmin]

CONGRATULATIONS!!!

So glad we were able to help in this process, and thank you for encouraging others and sharing your experience. 

Please share the site with others who may be able to benefit.

God Bless!

[scshisler]

This is very wonderful news!  Congratulations and best wishes to you!