Since 2011 Veterans Care Coordination (VCC) has helped over 14,000 families with the Pension with Aid and Attendance benefit. We partner with providers nationwide to assist Veterans and their families with this little-known benefit. VCC has been fulfilling our mission to improve the lives of Veterans and surviving spouses by obtaining the Pension with Aid and Attendance benefit and managing the home care that allows them to live independently. Our Founder/CEO, Kyle Laramie, identified a need for support in accessing and maintaining benefits for Veterans and surviving spouses through his work in the healthcare industry, as well as his family’s experience with his grandfather’s care. However, applying for the benefit is a complicated process. At VCC, we have built a process that has not only helped thousands of Veterans and their families but also helped home care providers build better businesses. Through that process, we have identified common misconceptions about VCC’s provider rates:

  • VCC is “charging” the Veteran or surviving spouse for assisting with their applications for the Department of Veterans Affairs Pension funds
  • VCC is minimizing the benefit for the Veteran or surviving spouse
  • VCC is charging without providing a service once the initial application is approved

 

Veterans Care Coordination assists the Veteran or surviving spouse with the application with no charge to the Veteran or family. Our experts simplify the process by helping gather original military paperwork and necessary supporting documentation. Our support continues with managing eligibility requirements for the lifetime of the benefit. After approval, VCC coordinates home care with provider partners to ensure the client receives the highest quality of care. VCC is the critical component for maintaining eligibility and keeping care in place. Since the Pension with Aid and Attendance may be retroactively denied if the client falls out of eligibility, VCC has an entire department dedicated to reviewing the client’s services and maintaining eligibility. We strive to ensure that the Veteran or surviving spouse can keep the care needed to remain independent at home. By providing these services, VCC actually maximizes the client’s benefit and often utilizes home care for longer than the average private pay home care clients.

Examples of threats to loss of eligibility include:

  • Change in income or income of dependents
  • Net worth increases
  • Reduction of continuing medical expenses
  • Gain or loss of a dependent
  • Change in address or phone number

 

Retroactive loss of eligibility may result in thousands of dollars of debt for the Veteran or surviving spouse. In addition, if not repaid, it may result in garnishment of other Federal benefits, such as Social Security. Veterans will be audited, but with the support of our team maintaining the Veterans medical expenses, we can provide proof that the funds were used appropriately. With a combined experience of over 30 years, our Client Care Team is adept at navigating these situations, saving the Veteran, surviving spouse, and the home care provider partner time and money. VCC has such confidence in our process that we may provide interest-free loans to the Veteran or surviving spouse, so home care can begin before the client is approved for the benefit. This means we pay the home care provider for services for some clients before the application has been approved, allowing the client to receive care as soon as possible.

 

Our Client Care Team maintains communication with the client, family, and home care provider and we work together to meet the client’s needs. Our Account Managers and Account Specialists are assigned to work with each home care provider to assist the provider in having the training, tools, and support for retaining the client and maximizing the relationship with VCC. Additionally, our Account Management Team places clients with our active partner providers who are currently with our non-provider partners. VCC employs these teams to support Veterans, their surviving spouses, and our home care provider partners through the life of the benefit. Most importantly, it assists the Veteran or surviving spouse in maintaining independence through care at home.

 

Discounting your rates for Veterans allows VCC to provide much-needed support, coordination, and management of eligibility for the Pension with Aid and Attendance benefit for as long as the benefit is needed. A percentage of the discounted rate for care allows us to employ our teams to provide our services. The experts at VCC add significant value by saving Veterans and their families time and money when they may not have the knowledge or resources to understand and maintain eligibility. At a time when home care providers are focused on managing pandemic-related challenges in addition to the everyday challenges of home care, VCC assists our partners in client retention through our Client Care Team’s management and oversight of eligibility.

In addition to the valuable services VCC provides to the clients, our home care provider partners benefit by:

  • Support from the VCC team as an extension of the local home care team to ensure that client feedback, issues, and concerns are addressed as part of our partnership
  •  Extended client retention for many clients
  •  Consistent and reliable payment. VCC pays the provider, even when there are billing and payment issues
  • Marketing tools, resources, and support for the provider
  • About 1 in 10 referrals qualify, so the provider has nine other referrals that can potentially become private pay clients

 

VCC has been supporting Veterans and their families for over a decade and has achieved the following:

  • Coordinated over 800,000 hours of home care since 2011
  • Better Business Bureau Accredited Business with A+ Rating
  • Recognition by the Home Care Association of America
  • Arcus Award Winner (2014)
  • Top Places to Work Award by the St. Louis Post Dispatch for seven years running (2015-2021)
  • Best Places to Work by the St. Louis Business Journal (2019)

 

At VCC, our goal is to make home care possible for those who cannot afford it. We know exactly what the VA is looking for and can get care started before submitting the application. We are over 99% successful at identifying potential eligibility. We are not only concerned with the clients we serve but also your potential clients. VCC offers marketing support to help grow the provider’s private pay business, including Veterans from all walks of life- not just those in need of our services. Whether our providers are just getting started or looking to add to an existing client base, we offer a foundation for building and growing a successful business. We continuously work to strengthen our partnerships through education, marketing materials, co-branded collateral, and ongoing support. We are here for Veterans, their families, and home care providers to simplify an incredibly complex process and get care started.

Posted in Aid and Attendance, Aid and Attendance Benefit, Care for Aging Veterans, Home Care for Veterans, VA Aid and Attendance Pension Benefit
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About Cristie Herring

Cristie Herring has been featured as a speaker, as well as authored and presented training for families and caregivers. She has extensive experience in healthcare leadership, having held executive roles in home care and assisted living with early career experience in hospitals and psychiatric settings. During her home care tenure, she has been recognized for her leadership in managing growth, acquisitions, and key initiatives. Herring has a Master of Science degree in Health Services Administration from the University of St. Francis and a Bachelor of Science degree in Therapeutic Recreation from the University of Southern Mississippi.