First, only paid unreimbursed medical expenses can be claimed. Consequently, if the veteran is not already in an assisted living facility, it does not count. Therefore, the veteran needs to move into the assisted living facility. Otherwise, the veteran needs a paid caregiver until they can obtain the VA benefits and then move into the Assisted Living Facility. Therefore, once the award comes in, utilize the VA benefits to move the veteran into the assisted living facility. If you utilize a family caregiver, there must be a money exchange and it cannot exceed what the claimant can actually pay, either…
However, there are no right and wrong answers in choosing either LTCI or MT. Each client has their own situation, concerns, preferences, circumstances, and financial issues. The key is protecting your assets from the nursing home cost.
Mediation is considerably cheaper than litigation, $150 to $500 per hour for several hours for a private mediator’s time, or a nominal fee, in lieu of very expensive litigation lawyers.
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