Veterans Benefits and Medicaid – New Choice Waiver Programs
The time to inquire about benefits is now. Your loved one may qualify for Veteran’s benefits if their spouse was a veteran. It is very important to see what your loved one qualifies for before starting your assisted living search. Many government programs, such as the Veterans Association Aid and Attendance Program, take time to process, and you may find yourself paying out of pocket for assisted living until your loved one qualifies for a program. The government will not reimburse you for the money spent out of your pocket during your qualification period. Visit your local Senior Center, many of the people you will meet are already benefiting from these programs, and there is plenty of literature readily available on the subject. Many financial planning companies can be misleading and shouldn’t be trusted. Your best option is to contact the Veterans Association or other Government agencies directly.
We have spent years developing relationships with our networking partners in the Salt Lake Valley. They are local professionals that consistently provide our clients with the best direction and results. Personal situations can be complicated. We use our years of experience to put you in contact with people that are ready to assist and won’t take advantage of you.
If you place your loved one on a waiting list for a VA assisted living or memory care facility and move your parent into a privately owned community in the meantime, make sure that the community is aware of your intentions. Communities require a 30-day notice in order to vacate and will not refund the remainder of that month’s rent in the case of an abrupt move. The VA will only give you a week’s notice to make your move, but you should be able to receive a refund if you are clear with your intentions. Also, it is no mistake that I refer to VA-assisted living as ‘facilities’ and not communities.
If you are like most of us and cannot afford to pay for assisted living out of pocket, the Utah Medicaid New Choice waiver program is your very best option. There are many specifications in order to qualify for the Utah New Choice waiver program, and they are amended frequently. The application process requires that you have a minimal amount of assets to your name.
