Vets continue to face long waits for caregiver reimbursement

Veterans, their spouses and their caregivers continue to get the cold shoulder from the United States Department of Veterans Affairs, the New York Times blog The New Old Age reports. The blog publicized the little-known Aid and Attendance pension benefit program (known as the A&A) last fall, arguing that the program is so poorly publicized far too few vets can actually benefit from its assistance. Since then, numerous vets and their families have begun efforts to start receiving the benefits and many are facing great difficulty navigating the process, the Times reports.

The A&A program offers reimbursement for the cost of caregivers who work in the home or for assisted living or nursing home facilities and can be more than 50 percent higher than a veteran’s regular pension. Still, despite the fact that more veterans are eligible for the A&A benefit than ever before, according to the Times report, complicated paperwork, misleading information from the V.A., and bureaucratic run-around keep most veterans in the dark when it comes to getting help with elder care.

Currently, the V.A. prohibits veterans from hiring lawyers to assist them through the process. VeteranAid.org, a non-profit organization established with the intention of helping veterans and their families through the application process, will help veterans find out if they are eligible for the assistance.

Visit VeteranAid.org to find out if you are eligible.