OBSOLETE POLICY CHIP MANUAL |
Effective Date: January 1, 2011
A VA check received by a veteran or veteran's widow may include amounts that are paid for the benefit of other family members. This happens when the amount of the VA benefit is increased based of the number of dependents the veteran has. To figure out how much income belongs to each person, contact the VA. Find out how much money the person would get only for himself. Then find out how much more he gets for each dependent. Allocate to each person his own part of the benefit. See Section 401-3 for information about when to count the benefit if the dependent is a child.
If the dependent does not live with the veteran or the surviving spouse, the income is still considered as income of the dependent unless:
1) The dependent has applied to VA for the payment to be made directly to them,
2) The dependent has received a written denial of the request from the VA, and
3) The dependent is not receiving their portion of the payment directly from the veteran or surviving spouse. (Accept client statement.)
When the VA denies payment to be made directly to the dependent, the total payment is counted as income of the veteran or the surviving spouse the month AFTER the month the VA denial notice is sent.
Verify the denial from VA and the living arrangement. Unless evidence indicates otherwise, accept the enrollee’s statement that the veteran or surviving spouse is not giving them their portion of the payment.
Do Count
VA benefits based on need, service related compensation and disability payments.
Do Not Count (see Section 402-4 #26):
Aid and Attendance or Housebound Care payments.
Payments for Unusual Medical Expenses, (an amount added to a VA payment to pay for specific medical expenses of the veteran).
Certain payments, made to a veteran's child born with Spina Bifida, or other disabilities.