Kansas Senior Press Service News ArticlesKansas Senior Press Service News ArticlesBy Matthew Fowler
Kansas Senior Press Service
Despite America’s commitment to remembering the sacrifices of veterans from earlier generations, many of them struggle to make ends meet because of their financial status or health. Unfortunately, these veterans are often unaware of the benefits that could help them.
The Department of Veterans Affairs, or VA, has pension benefit programs that provide income to veterans who are elderly or have a disability or their surviving spouses. The programs also help with nursing home or assisted-living expenses.
Non-Service Connected Disability Pensions are a needs-based, monthly benefit to supplement the incomes of war-era veterans who have a disability and have very limited income and net worth. To qualify for a Non-Service Connected Disability Pension, a veteran must meet all the following requirements:
Death Pensions are available to surviving spouses of veterans if they have limited income and net worth and can show that the veteran’s military service meets the requirements listed above.
Although these programs have different names, they are similar in that all applicants must demonstrate financial need and some level of disability to qualify. To determine the level of financial need, VA follows a three-step process.
First, VA examines an applicant’s net worth, or value of assets. An application for pension will not be considered if net worth exceeds $80,000. The value of the applicant’s home or automobile is not counted.
Second, VA deducts an applicant’s yearly medical expenses from his or her total annual income. The result of this calculation is called countable income. When considering an applicant’s medical expenses, VA counts all unreimbursed expenditures, such as drug co-pays, health insurance premiums, nursing home care, and even Medicare deductions from Social Security.
Finally, VA determines the total annual pension amount by subtracting the applicant’s countable income from a fixed number called a maximum annual pension rate (see table). The maximum annual pension rates are set by Congress every year and correspond to level of disability. An applicant will not qualify for a VA pension if his or her countable income exceeds the maximum annual pension rate.
There are higher maximum annual pension rates for applicants who are considered medically housebound or who need what VA calls “aid and attendance.” Applicants who live in nursing homes or assisted living units usually meet the requirements for aid and attendance, which can help offset their care costs. However, some applicants can qualify for aid and attendance — and a higher pension — if they can produce medical evidence showing that they require constant care, even at home.
Healthy veterans under age 65 generally do not qualify for VA pensions. In addition, VA requires that all pensioners report their incomes and medical expenses annually to maintain eligibility. A veteran service officer can help applicants comply with these requirements.
If you would like more information regarding VA pension programs, or think you may qualify, call the Kansas Commission on Veterans’ Affairs at 785-296-3976 or go to www.kcva.org for further information.
Matthew Fowler is a veteran service representative with the Kansas Commission on Veterans Affairs.
<Sidebars>
Wartime Service
Applicants for VA pension must show at least 90 days of honorable service, with at least one day occurring during one of these periods:
World War II |
Dec. 7, 1941–Dec. 31, 1946 |
Korean Conflict |
June 27, 1950–Jan. 31, 1955 |
Vietnam Era |
Aug. 5, 1964–May 7, 1975 |
Persian Gulf |
Aug. 2, 1990–date to be determined |
2009 VA Pension Maximum Annual Pension Rates
Applicant |
No dependents |
One dependent* |
Veteran |
$11,830 |
$15,493 |
Veteran–Aid and Attendance |
$19,736 |
$23,396 |
Veteran–Housebound |
$14,457 |
$18,120 |
Surviving spouse |
$7,933 |
$10,385 |
Surviving spouse– Aid and Attendance |
$12,681 |
$15,128 |
Surviving Spouse– Housebound |
$9,696 |
$12,144 |
*For each additional dependent, add $2,020
By Kansas Senior Press Service
Nearly 27 million Americans live with daily arthritis pain and discomfort, keeping them from participating in activities they enjoy. Take charge of your health and act now to protect your joints, reduce soreness and prevent the onset of arthritis. Listed are some suggestions provided by the Arthritis Foundation (www.arthritis.org):
For information on arthritis programs near you, visit www.arthritis.org/chapters/western-missouri-greater-kansas-city/ or call 913-262-2233 or toll-free 888-719-5670.
By Kansas Senior Press Service
Osteoporosis affects an estimated 44 million Americans. With osteoporosis, bones become fragile and more likely to break from a minor fall or, in serious cases, from a simple action such as a sneeze.
Pointers
Risk factors of osteoporosis include:
Source: www.nof.org/osteoporosis/diseasefacts.htm
By Kansas Senior Press Service
Q: Is it true that if I qualify for Medicare’s “Extra Help” with payment of my prescription drug out-of-pocket costs, Medicare will pay 75 to 95 percent of all costs?
A: Yes. Medicare is paying 75 percent or more of prescription drug costs for people with limited incomes and resources.
One woman with Medicare was struggling to pay for her prescriptions, even with a Medicare prescription drug plan and her $800 Social Security benefit. A counselor at her local state health insurance information program talked to her about how to apply. Once she heard that the value of her house, as long as she lived in it, would not be used to determine eligibility, she applied and qualified. She was very grateful.
Singles who earn less than $16,245 and married couples who make less than $21,855 may qualify for lower Medicare prescription drug premiums, co-pays and deductibles. If you support other family members who live with you, or have earnings from work, this income limit may be higher. In addition, to qualify for the low-income subsidy, resources must be limited to $12,510 for an individual or $25,010 for married persons living together. Resources include bank accounts, stocks and bonds, but not a house or car.
In summary, if you qualify, Medicare’s low-income subsidy, or what Medicare calls “Extra Help,” can assist with out-of-pocket drug costs like monthly premiums, annual deductibles and prescription co-payments. Many people qualify and don’t know it.
Applying is the only way to see whether Medicare will pay 75 percent or more of your prescription drug costs. Social Security is the federal agency that is handling the application process. Apply online at www.socialsecurity.gov, call 800-772-1213 (TTY 800-325-0778), or go to a Social Security office for assistance. All information provided in the application is confidential.
If you have a Medicare question, call 800-633-4227 (TTY 877-486-2048) or visit www.medicare.gov.
Source: Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services
These articles are also available electronically at the Center on Aging Website: http://www2.kumc.edu/coa/Senior_Press_Article/Topic_Index.htm