Hi all,
I just wanted to tell you all the good news. My mom finally received VA benefits. I applied for her October 2009. So much paper work but it was worth it. She will get her first check March 1. The VA sent me paper after paper, requesting more information. They even sent back 4 or 5 forms they said my mom didn't sign which were already signed. After the last one (December 2010) I wrote to my congressman asking for help. With in 6 weeks it has gone thru. They are now doing the paper work for back pay to Oct 09. I was so happy. Mom has been pretty much out of it, very confused but when I told her she understood and was so happy. So just wanted you all to know contact your congress or senators and ask for help.
Diana

Thanks for sharing that good news, Diana. Perseverance pays off!

Good for you, Diana!

That is great news, Diana! Congratulations! Hugs for fighting the good fight.
Pat

diana,
i know its a tough battle.. we've been going down the path since sept 2008.. they have agreed to a few things, but keep putting us off on the larger one.. ptsd... offered 10%!! they gave that to folks that weren't even in the war zone, so sadly we are still trying... thinking of trying the congressman route soon... gads the paper work alone, is ludicrous.. so congrats on your perseverance and winning the battle!! not an easy thing to do!!
cindi

Diana - that is so amazing that you got a response, and that you survived the mountains of forms, returned forms, etc. It makes me crazy thinking about all the hours I spent on VA forms, meetings and phone calls, and all for nothing! Glad you will be getting help. Lynn

Thanks everyone. Yes it was a lot of paper work. They are ridiculous. I sometimes think they want people to give up. I almost did a few times. I'm sure it finally got approved because of the congressman. He forwared a letter to me he sent to the director of the VA. Everyone trying...just keep pushing!!!

Diana, Congratulations! I was successful with the VA Aid and Attendance pension. My LO would be on medicaid now if we hadn't received the money last year. In my opinion it is worth the work and my experiences with the VA since receiving the decision have been good. AnnieN

Annie, if I'd had the info. you gave me after the hundreds of hours of trying to get A & A for my dad, I would have saved all that time and hassle. Why couldn't someone at the VA have said "if a veteran has more than $80,000 they won't get A & A"? That one piece of info. was so useful to me, but unfortunately I didn't know about this forum at the time I was going through all the red tape to no avail. At least it explained why my dad was turned down after the fact. Lynn

Lynn, I heard about the $80,000 asset limit word-of-mouth and I waited to apply until my Mom's assets were just below. From what I've read, the VA says the calculation is more involved than a strict $80,000 limit. However, I've also never read of anyone getting A & A with more assets (excluding house, etc.) than that. My advice is always to go to the www.veteranaid.org website and read the advice there in their discussion group. AnnieN

I was glad you posted that link a while back. Too late for us now, but I'm sure it will be very helpful to others having to deal with the VA. I could probably heat my house for a day by burning all the VA forms in my woodstove that I had to fill out, to no avail. Lynn

bonbon101: Congratulations. I kow exacty what you went through. First from 2006 to 2008 I fought with the VA for benefits of A&A for my mother. By the time I got it, she had no idea what was what. She had Vasular Dementia and Congestive Heart Failure. I lost her in 2009. In the meantime I was fighting with the VA for benefits for my wife. They denied me a number of times and I finally had Congressman Webb from Virginia involved. His staff had helped me with my Mom's benefits and once again came through for my wife. She was first diagnosed as "possible LBD" in July of 2009 and then confirmed in March of 2010. It's a shame that we have to have Congressmn/women involved before you can get what you are entitled to. I was denied because my hearing was not enough loss to justify an allowance. These people running the VA just don't care. I think they thrive on denials.

I know the local VA center told me about the 80K. They helped me fill out the first couple batches of forms but then I found out they gave me the wrong dates to use for expenses. The web site listed by Annie is really helpful. I wish I would of found it before I started!!
Mariesmac, I was told by a few people that the VA doesn't like when congressman get involed so settle it faster. I too think they just drag there feet and hope you'll give up.
Congrats annie!! yes it is worth it in the end.
I had to laugh at your coment Lynn about heating your house with the papers!! My sister once saw my folders for the VA and said what is all that? She had no clue how much I had accumulated!!

A friend of mine who practices in Social Security disability law tells me that pretty much every claim is routinely denied on the first pass, whether there is any basis for it or not. Sounds a lot like the VA! It really does feel like the goverment is trying to wear out claimants so they will just go away. Think of all the resources wasted just in administering all the Mickey Mouse nonsense that people have to go through!

Julianne

So glad to hear a few of you persevered and finally got benefits. We had been in the VA paperwork jungle for years to no avail..talk about a waste of trees/paper! In my last letter to the VA I stated "I think you are postponing things with the hopes he dies before you pay any benefits." Guess what??? He did!
Lynn, I too could heat my house for the winter with the mounds of paper wasted not to mention the hours and hours of time. We finally gave up as I didn't have the time to spend on it while trying to care for him. The VA should be ashamed for putting care givers through such a maze of paperwork. Actually a VA psychologist met with my husband 6 weeks before he passed and said "he doesn't seem too bad to me." So while the government is looking to cut spending and save money perhaps they should revamp the VA and save millions! Who needs someone sitting at a desk stamping "denied" on applications all day????