A comprehensive veterans' benefits bill is headed to the White House for President Obama's approval. If passed, the Veterans' Benefits Act of 2010 (H.R.3219) would expand insurance options for disabled vets, upgrade compensation benefits and employment protections, allow the Department of Veterans Affairs to keep using private physicians and to provide vets with disability evaluations. The bill passed the House late Thursday after passing the Senate on Tuesday. Key sponsor Sen. Daniel Kahikina Akaka (D-Hawaii) said his bill will "upgrade the benefits that veterans have earned through their honorable service," according to a release from Akaka's office.
An Assisted Living Facility or Home Care Agency cannot pay for the filing of the application, or pay someone or organization to do so. Otherwise they are breaking the law.
Usually, a veteran or a qualifying surviving dependent must show a nexus between the veteran’s condition or death and his/her military service, except with a presumptive condition or death.
However, momentum toward Assisted Living, should not lead one to assume that Assisted Living is always the right choice, or that any and all health care conditions can be accommodated within Assisted Living.
Basically, the only good advice, is “Consult with an estate-planning attorney or other asset-protection professional who is steeped in knowledge of VA pensions and assisted-living benefits.”
It is unlikely, either the House and/or Senate will complete the passed House Committee bills, leaving everything to a post-election legislative session.
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