Moving from Assisted Living to a nursing home.

[Rebeccajo]

My mother who is 86 has recently made the difficult move from an Assisted Living facility into a nursing home.  This was not a decision she wanted to make so my sister and myself had the hard job of deciding what was best for her.  She had made two trips to the hospital since Thanksgiving and seemed to decline in health with each trip.  She is a World War II veteran who served in the South Pacific as a cook. In her civilian work life she continued as a cook in the Veteran's Hospital near our hometown.  She retired in 1980 with a disability.  She has been active and healthy up until the last few years. She was one of the first veterans to apply for Aid & Assistance in the North Texas Area and to qualify to receive this extra money.  One of the Assisted Living facilities we visted when we were looking for a place for her clued us in on this new progam the VA was making available  She has been receiving Aid & Assistance for the last four years.  This benefit has made it possible for her to be in an Assisted Living facility . She has a small VA pension and Social Security check.  The A&A money was how she was able to afford the rent in the facility.  We are now applying for Medicare/Medicaid assistance for her in the nursing home.  I have been checking with every online source and with the Medicaid office to find out if she will still receive her A&A check or will it be discontinued so she can qualify for Medicaid. So far it looks hopeful that she will be able to continue receiving this benefit and it will not count against her as income.  I have done much research and have been astounded at all of the road blocks and misinformation I've encountered.  It seems to be easier to now to find out information than when I first began four years ago.  There are still too few avenues of help for our older and younger veterans to fight their way through. I am delighted to have found this resource and will continue to come back for more support.  Our veterans deserve that we fight for them now when they can no longer fight for themselves.

[veteranadvocate]

Effect of Medicaid-Covered Nursing Home Care on Entitlement to Pension

A veteran without dependents who is receiving Medicaid-covered nursing home care will have his or her pension benefits reduced to $90 a month for any period after the third full calendar month following the month of admission for such care.

38 U.S.C.S. § 5503(a)(1). Pub. L. No. 107-103, § 504, extended this limitation from September 30, 2008, to September 30, 2111.

[claysee]

This is the best website. Thank-you so much for posting. It helped.
I've tried to spread the word by posting this website on an alzheimer's
caregivers support online website that I use.  I think if all of us would let other people know of it's existance we could all become stronger and help our loved ones to have the care that they deserve.  You're right,they fought for this country and we have to fight for what they are
entitled to.  If, the VA doesn't have the money or want to pay the funds then why are their articles in the VA Post Magazine about this benefit that state it takes 4-6 months??   
Claysee

[Dru]

Effect of Medicaid-Covered Nursing Home Care on Entitlement to Pension

A veteran without dependents who is receiving Medicaid-covered nursing home care will have his or her pension benefits reduced to $90 a month for any period after the third full calendar month following the month of admission for such care.

38 U.S.C.S. § 5503(a)(1). Pub. L. No. 107-103, § 504, extended this limitation from September 30, 2008, to September 30, 2111.

The Medicaid Estate Recovery Program allows the State to place a lien on the house of a Medicaid eligible person for reimbursement of Medicaid expenses.  May a person elect not to apply for Medicaid and continue to receive A&A benefits instead?

[jpez]

Yes, you can private pay the nursing home and claim that as unriembured merdical expense.

[VSR]

Effect of Medicaid-Covered Nursing Home Care on Entitlement to Pension

A veteran without dependents who is receiving Medicaid-covered nursing home care will have his or her pension benefits reduced to $90 a month for any period after the third full calendar month following the month of admission for such care.

38 U.S.C.S. § 5503(a)(1). Pub. L. No. 107-103, § 504, extended this limitation from September 30, 2008, to September 30, 2111.

The Medicaid Estate Recovery Program allows the State to place a lien on the house of a Medicaid eligible person for reimbursement of Medicaid expenses.  May a person elect not to apply for Medicaid and continue to receive A&A benefits instead?

If you are covered by Medicaid (in a nursing home) VA is required by law to drop you down to $90.  The advantage to this is that unlike all other govt benefits, you can keep the $90 a month for your own spending.  normally medicaid just takes all of your checks.  the $90 is a much better benefit than what it sounds like