My mother has to have care 24 hours/day. Medicaid cannot cover all the hours needed. As the spouse of a war time veteran, my mother has been granted $1000/month to cover additional hours needed for aid and attendance. This money cannot be used for other purposes. My mother's "real" income is $423/month from SS and $238/month as a veteran's spouse. Can the aid and attendance money from the VA be counted by Medicaid as income? Cancelled checks paid to attendants will provide proof as to where the money allowed by the VA for aid and attendance was spent
Technically, there are three levels of non-service connected pension available: Basic, Housebound, and Aid and Attendance with Aid and Attendance offering the highest potential benefit.
Because all benefits above Basic are granted based on “unreimbursed medical expenses” incurred by the claimant it is presumed by Medicaid that benefits received above Basic are going to cost of care and are, therefore, NOT countable as income for Medicaid eligibility purposes.
Thus the only portion of the Aid and Attendance benefit received that is countable as income by Medicaid is the “Basic” amount. For 2013 the Basic benefit for a surviving spouse is $695.
If this income puts the Medicaid beneficiary over the Medicaid “income cap” for eligibility (which it looks like it will not in this case) an “Irrevocable Qualified Income Trust” can be established to maintain eligibility
If I tried to apply for medicare with a VA reimbursement check, I was told she wouldnt qualify so I never tried. Should I? And if she were able to receive medicaid would they take her VA check and only give her $35 a month? I would love to know the answers , thank you. Btw, I take care of her in my home, severe dementia and wont use a nursing home ever.