Full Answer
What VA benefits Am I eligible to receive?
by the Department of Veterans Affairs (VA). VA is here to help you and your family understand the benefits for which you may be eligible and how to apply for them. VA benefits include disability compensation, pension, home loan guaranty, education, health care, insurance, vocational rehabilitation and employment, and burial.
What benefits are covered by VA medical benefits?
- Veterans with any compensable, service-connected disability
- Former Prisoners of War (POWs)
- Veterans awarded a Purple Heart
- Veterans in receipt of benefits under 38 USC 1151 (such as benefits for persons disabled by treatment or vocational rehabilitation)
How to qualify for SSDI while receiving VA benefits?
- Form DD 214 (if you were formally discharged)
- Proof of military pay or workers’ compensation
- Any military medical records that support your disability (medical tests, physician’s notes, therapy documentation, etc.)
What are my benefits from VA?
- Survivors pension benefits
- Survivors' and Dependents' Educational Assistance (Chapter 35 benefits)
- Dependency and Indemnity Compensation (DIC)
Am I eligible for VA Aid and Attendance or Housebound benefits as a Veteran or survivor?
VA Aid and Attendance eligibility You may be eligible for this benefit if you get a VA pension and you meet at least one of these requirements. At...
How do I get this benefit?
You can apply for VA Aid and Attendance or Housebound benefits in one of these ways: Send a completed VA form to your pension management center (PM...
How long does it take VA to make a decision?
It depends. We process claims in the order we receive them, unless a claim requires priority processing.
How to fill out VA form 21-2680?
Fill out VA Form 21-2680 (Examination for Housebound Status or Permanent Need for Regular Aid and Attendance) and mail it to the PMC for your state. You can have your doctor fill out the examination information section.
What are the requirements for a nursing home?
At least one of these must be true: 1 You need another person to help you perform daily activities, like bathing, feeding, and dressing, or 2 You have to stay in bed—or spend a large portion of the day in bed—because of illness, or 3 You are a patient in a nursing home due to the loss of mental or physical abilities related to a disability, or 4 Your eyesight is limited (even with glasses or contact lenses you have only 5/200 or less in both eyes; or concentric contraction of the visual field to 5 degrees or less)
What is housebound pension?
Housebound is an add-on benefit paid in addition to monthly pension. This benefit may not be paid without first having eligibility for monthly pension. To begin an assessment of your eligibility, click here . A Veteran or Surviving Spouse may be eligible for Housebound when: The Veteran or Surviving Spouse has a single permanent disability ...
What percentage of disability is a veteran?
The Veteran or Surviving Spouse has a single permanent disability evaluated as 100-percent disabling AND, another disability, or disabilities, evaluated as 60 percent or more disabling.
What should a veteran report indicate?
The report should indicate how well the individual gets around, where the individual goes, and what they are able to do during a typical day.
Can a veteran receive housebound and aid?
Neither a Veteran nor a Surviving Spouse can receive both Aid and Attendance and Housebound benefits at the same time. When applying for the Housebound add-on benefit, you should include copies of any evidence, preferably a report from an attending physician validating the need for Housebound type care.
What are some examples of veterans?
Example: A veteran's spouse is legally blind but still able to function on their own for the most part. Example: A veteran can no longer drive his- or herself.
How many tiers are there in the Aid and Attendance Pension?
The Aid and Attendance pension benefit actually has three tiers to it. The Aid and Attendance (A&A) benefit is the top tier, but there are two other benefit tiers that a veteran may be eligible for depending on their situation. Here is what you need to know about the Housebound and Basic levels of pension benefits.
Can a spouse receive aid and attendance?
The VA will automatically consider this level if the claimant does not fully qualify for Aid and Attendance. A veteran or spouse/widow cannot receive both the Aid and Attendance benefit and the Housebound benefit at the same time.
Can a veteran receive a housebound pension?
Housebound pension. A veteran or spouse can be awarded this pension if the level of care they need is not as extreme as facility care (assisted living, nursing home, etc.). The awarded amount of this benefit will be less because the amount of day-to-day help the applicant needs is less.
How many priority groups are there for VA?
When you apply for VA health care, you’ll be assigned 1 of 8 priority groups. This system helps to make sure that Veterans who need immediate care can get signed up quickly. Your priority group may affect how soon we sign you up for health care benefits.
What does enhanced eligibility mean?
You may qualify for enhanced eligibility status (meaning you’ll be placed in a higher priority group, which makes you more likely to get benefits) if you meet at least one of the requirements listed below. At least one of these must be true.
Can I get VA health care benefits if I served in the military?
Am I eligible for VA health care benefits? You may be eligible for VA health care benefits if you served in the active military, naval, or air service and didn’t receive a dishonorable discharge.
How much will housebound benefits be in 2021?
For example, if you have no children, spouse, or parents, your housebound benefits in 2021 would be $3,521.85 a month . On the other hand, if you have a child, a spouse, and two parents, you can receive $4,107.33 per month. The VA adds an amount to your base monthly compensation for each additional child you have under the age of 18 ($87.17 per child). Amounts are also added if you have children over the age of 18 provided they are enrolled in a qualifying education program. Your SMC housebound benefits might also increase if your spouse receives SMC for aid and attendance.
What is housebound disability?
Housebound benefits are more common in cases of total and permanent disability that limit your movements (e.g., amputations, loss of organs, terminal diseases like cancer). The amount of your potential housebound allowance depends on factors like your marital status and the number of dependents.
What is housebound allowance?
A housebound allowance is a form of SMC the VA provides to veterans as an added benefit because their disability confines them to their home. This benefit is separate from the compensation the VA provides veterans who are unable to work due to their service-connected disability. Rather, housebound benefits are given to acknowledge ...
How often does the VA review SMC benefits?
The VA reviews the amount of money you receive for various SMC benefits every year to adjust for changes to the cost of living and inflation. If qualified for SMC housebound benefits, your monthly compensation depends on your marital status, parents, and if you have dependents.
What disabilities qualify for SMC?
Common Disabilities that Might Qualify You for SMC Housebound Allowance. If you already receive VA disability benefits but think you may qualify for SMC housebound allowance, then you may need to review your disability ratings. Conditions often associated with SMC housebound benefits include: Cancer.
What is the requirement to receive SMC for housebound?
To receive SMC for being housebound, you must meet the two requirements set forth in Section 3.350 (i) of the CFR. The first requirement is to have a 100 percent rated service-connected disability. The second requirement can be met in any one of two methods.
Why would the VA give you a disability rating of 70%?
The VA might give you a disability rating of 70% on your right leg because of an injury that prevents you from working, but an SMC rating would be given because the loss of your right-hand makes it difficult for you to bathe yourself. ...
Common Misconceptions about VA Housebound and Aid & Attendance Benefits
Sometimes, there may be questions surrounding Aid & Attendance and Housebound benefits from the Department of Veterans Affairs (VA). Our firm hopes to dispel some of those misconceptions and encourages former servicemembers to apply for the VA Aid & Attendance and Housebound benefits they may be entitled to.
Service in Warzones
For example, a veteran does not have to have warzone experience to qualify for Attendance benefits. Ninety days of active service and at least one day during any period of wartime grants eligibility.
Service-Connected Disabilities
Additionally, the disability that qualifies a veteran for Housebound benefits need to be service-connected. Veterans may also qualify for Housebound benefits if they have one service-connected disability rated at 100%, in addition to a disability from a different bodily system rated at 60% disabling.
Enhanced Pension Requirements
An enhanced pension rate is provided to veterans based on their need for regular A&A; these enhanced benefits are paid in addition to a standard VA pension. If you do not qualify for a standard pension due to income limits, you may still qualify for an enhanced pension.
Being in the VA System
You don’t have to be in the VA system before applying for Aid & Attendance. You’ll be entered into the system when you apply.
Using the Funds
Furthermore, Aid & Attendance and Housebound benefits don’t have to be used solely for Assisted Living or Skilled Nursing purposes. They can also be used to cover everyday living expenses at home.
Impact on SSI Benefits
While it is possible to retain your SSI benefits if you are approved for VA Aid & Attendance benefits, it is important to consider that A&A benefits are classified as income when audits are done for SSI eligibility.
Aid & Attendance and Housebound
- Veterans and survivors who are eligible for a VA pension and require the aid and attendance of another person, or are housebound, may be eligible for additional monetary payment. These benefits are paid in additionto monthly pension, and they are not paid without eligibility to Pension. Since Aid and Attendance and Housebound allowances increase th...
Aid & Attendance
- The Aid & Attendance (A&A) increased monthly pension amount may be addedto your monthly pension amount if you meet one of the following conditions: 1. You require the aid of another person in order to perform personal functions required in everyday living, such as bathing, feeding, dressing, attending to the wants of nature, adjusting prosthetic devices, or protecting yourself fr…
Housebound
- This increased monthly pension amount may be addedto your monthly pension amount when you are substantially confined to your immediate premises because of permanent disability.
How to Apply
- You may apply for Aid and Attendance or Housebound benefits by submitting the prescribed VA form(s) to the Pension Management Center (PMC) that serves your state. You may also visit your local regional benefit office to file your request. You can locate your local regional benefit office using the VA Facility Locator. Include this information: 1. Evidence, like a doctor’s report, that sh…