Aid & Attendance Handbook for Professionals & Consultants

A handbook for professionals and care providers to help their clients obtain the aid and attendance benefit. Numerous case studies illustrate a 15 step process for planning, reducing assets, dovetailing with Medicaid and submitting applications. All veterans long term care benefits are described, but most of the manual is devoted to VA pension with "aid and attendance" or "housebound" allowance. VA rules and regulations for submitting claims are included with examples and case studies. Sample documents and claims forms for pension and other benefits are found in the book. Printable versions of these documents are also on the benefits estimate software CD included with the purchase.

The secret to shortening the time from submission to a decision is to anticipate all of the documentation requirements that are necessary and submit them with the original application.

If the claimant is accurate in filling out the form, in providing proper discharge papers and proof of relationship, in anticipating the need for a fiduciary, and in providing the proper VA power of attorney or guardianship proof, the initial claim is well on its way to being approved more quickly.

Another important issue in submitting a well-documented claim is knowing, in advance, what evidence and documents are required for a rating decision. By providing those documents upfront and not waiting for VA to come back with a request, the claim can be passed by the triage team immediately to the rating activity for a final decision. This might cut the time for a decision from 8 to 12 months to fewer than two or three months.