• You are bedridden, in that your disability or disabilities require that you remain in bed apart from any prescribed course of convalescence or treatment. • You are a patient in an assisted living or personal care facility due to mental or physical incapacity. • Your eyesight is limited to a corrected 5/200 visual acuity or less in both eyes or concentric contraction of the visual field to 5 degrees or less. Housebound This increased monthly pension amount may be added to your monthly pension amount when you are substantially confined to your immediate premises because of permanent disability. How to Apply In eastern Pennsylvania, you may apply for Aid and Attendance or Housebound benefits by writing to the Philadelphia VA Regional Office, P.O. Box 8079, Philadelphia, PA 19101. Call the office tollfree at (800) 827-1000 for more information. When considering a move to a personal care home or nursing facility, the community’s administration will often assist in making sure you have the necessary information collected and that it is complete prior to submission. What You Need You must have military discharge or DD 214. You should include copies of the Aid & Attendance Form 10 or VA 21, signed by a doctor, M.D., or D.O., validating the need for Aid and Attendance or Houseboundtype care. The VA does not accept physician assistant, nurse, or social worker signatures. Eligibility requirements include (canceled checks or statements are required for documentation of expenses): 1. Ninety continuous days of service in the U.S. military with at least one day during a wartime period as established by the U.S. Congress, e.g., World War II, Korea, Vietnam. www.50plusLifePA.com
2. A medical diagnosis or condition that required the assistance of another person to meet the daily necessities of life, such as hygiene, eating, bathing, etc. Example: Alzheimer’s disease or other dementia, stroke, blindness, etc.
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3. Household income that is below the established limits. Authorized out-of-pocket household medical expenses can be deducted from income. These expenses can include: • Medicare and health insurance premiums • Prescription drugs • Co-payments for doctors and prescriptions • Skilled nursing care or home care • A ssisted living (personal care in Pennsylvania) and nursing care expenses when required by medical conditions • Funeral expenses • Incontinence supplies Household income and medical expenses include both veteran and spouse. The household asset limit is $80,000, not including the home and/or auto. The objective is to use medical expenses to reduce income. Income can be verified through SS 1099, tax returns, bank statements, etc. Although there is not currently a look-back period and penalty on asset transfers to reduce wealth, as is the case with Medicaid applications, Tooth warned changes are on the horizon for 2018. “There is a two-year look-back on asset transfers coming next year,” Tooth said. Even if you don’t qualify for the Aid & Attendance benefit, you may still qualify for the Basic Pension based on age and income or Pension with Housebound Benefits if you are housebound. For more information, check out the Aid and Attendance page on the Department of Veterans Affairs’ website (www.benefits. va.gov/pension/aid_attendance_ housebound.asp), VeteranAid.org, or call the Philadelphia VA Regional Office toll-free at (800) 827-1000.
Harrison House of Chester County and Harrison House of Christiana offer Chester and Lancaster County families a FULL RANGE of senior living options. Let us welcome your family to ours, with respect, compassion and individualized services.
Independent Living • Personal Care Skilled Nursing • Memory Care Rehabilitation Therapies • Respite Care
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Call (610) 384-6310 for more information. Complimentary lunch and tours New Holland
76
322
30
30
Strasburg
Harrison House of Chester County
Harrison House of Christiana
Quarryville Buck 222
Embreeville
Cochranville
896
Kirkwood
272
Wakefield
41
10 1
Oxford
Kennett Square Hockessin
No entrance fees! Easy, affordable, month-to-month rates PET FRIENDLY
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