Navigating the VA pension process can be trying sometimes.  I have compiled a list, thanks to our resident experts Joe Anne Swain and Lisa Kopeck,  of some very simple things you can do to ensure that your client’s application is not returned.

1. Always make sure that another knowledgeable person reviews the application BEFORE it is submitted.  Simple mistakes can add months to the process. How?  Unlike most organizations like DHHR or Social Security, VA applications are not assigned to a specific case manager.  That means that when a case worker returns an application, and you resubmit it with corrections, that application does not go to the same case worker.  Every submission goes into a different person’s hand.
2. Get your applications in before the end of the month!  I know that clients can be slow to turn in paperwork, but if you explain the money they will lose by letting another month fly by they are more likely to turn in requested forms at a faster rate.  You might also want to give them a date in which you will need all documents.
3. During the intake process you should be able to evaluate what kind of assistance the applicant will need.  Pre-fill the doctor forms showing what assistance is required for the applicant.  Do not fill out any diagnosis on the doctor forms.  Do the same for facility forms.  For example:  Your client walks with a cane.  You know that if they walk with a cane they are a fall risk.  Being a fall risk means they will need help cooking, cleaning, bathing, dressing, etc.
4. Ask if your client or their spouse were previously married.  It does not matter how long ago the marriage was or if it was for a short period of time.  The VA will need a copy of the divorce decree.  If for some reason you can not locate a copy of the divorce decree, the children that witnessed the marriage and the dissolution of the marriage can sign an affidavit stating as such.  The VA will accept the affidavit.

This discussion will be continuing for the next 4 weeks.