We have spent countless hours trying to get the correct amount of benefits for my 92 year-old uncle who is a WWII Vet. My husband has sat with very helpful folks at the local Veterans Affairs office and filled (and re-filled) out form after form trying to get it just right. While my uncle did get approved for a few hundred dollars a month, it still is not the amount for which he clearly qualifies.
In the year since we started the process, my aunt (wife of my uncle) passed away, so we had to update forms and get that information into the mix. My uncle also moved from an assisted living facility to a memory care facility (which is more expensive). He will soon run out of funds and the facility is very aware of that. Last week he was placed on hospice care, so we don’t expect to ever see the money that the VA says he should receive retroactively back to January of 2019.
We love our country. We deeply appreciate those who have served in the military to help us enjoy all the freedoms we enjoy; however, this entire event has made us recognize how poorly the “powers that be” treat those who served. Even local politicians have tried to help, but we think that somewhere in the “system” our uncle’s papers are sitting in a pile on a desk or in a file stamped “wait longer, since he may die soon.”
Since we’re not all that familiar with how long this process typically takes, I thought I’d ask the people most familiar with helping their loved one to rightfully receive their earned VA benefits. Thanks for any insight you can give us!
Do you know to which "team" (red, green, etc.) your aunt and uncle were assigned? It would probably be in the initial notification papers from the VA. If you have that, call that team and ask to speak with the Social Worker. I found ours to be very helpful. She might be able to suggest a method of correcting this error.
If you don't have that information, call the VA hospital at which they registered and ask to speak with the benefits office. (I'm not sure what it's actually called, and the military has its own nomenclature). You want to try to find someone who can get to the bottom of this situation and find out where why the back funds weren't paid.
If I can think of anything else, I'll post back. This obviously should not have happened.
If Uncle is running out of money, I would take what he has left and pay privately for LTC and apply for Medicaid. Even if he receives A&A, it will not cover the cost of his AL.
But, I am very worried we will be thrown in a endless merry go round! This Administration is looking to cut everyday the needs for the seniors and Veterans. They seem to think the children will help....not true. They have their own problems with a family. And trying to make the money to survive in this crazy world that is exciting...
i pray for all the older generation.
May God grant you grieving mercies and comfort during this difficult time.
Your uncle was blessed to have you as his advocate, as frustrating as it was for you it was so loving of you. Hugs!
Thank you for showing compassion and taking time to add this message to the forum.