Colorado Springs Senior AdvisorDoes TRICARE pay for assisted living or long-term care?
No. TRICARE, including TRICARE For Life, does not cover custodial long-term care in assisted living or nursing homes; it covers medical care and, with Medicare, skilled nursing after a hospital stay.
VA pension, long-term care insurance and Health First Colorado are the usual long-term payers.
Can a military retiree get VA Aid and Attendance?
Only if they meet VA pension rules: wartime service, need for help with daily activities, and income and net worth within VA limits ($163,699 net worth for the current year); a large military pension often rules it out.
Surviving spouses on smaller incomes often qualify where the veteran did not.
Is there a state veterans nursing home in Colorado Springs?
No. Colorado's state veterans community living centers are elsewhere in the state; the nearest to Colorado Springs is in Florence, in Fremont County.
VA can also pay for care in contracted community nursing homes for eligible veterans.
Where do Colorado Springs veterans get free help with benefits?
From accredited veterans service officers at the county veterans service offices and veterans service organizations, who file claims at no charge.
Avoid anyone charging to file an initial VA claim.
We are being reassigned; how do we keep a parent's care on track in Colorado Springs?
Put powers of attorney in place, choose a residence or agency with a strong CDPHE record, build a local contact list, and keep a shared care document so the next family member or advisor can step in.
The Pikes Peak ombudsman program can be a local advocate for a parent in a facility.
Do I need to keep Medicare Part B with TRICARE For Life?
Yes. TRICARE For Life requires Medicare Part A and Part B; dropping Part B ends TRICARE For Life coverage.
Active-duty family members have different rules; check with TRICARE.
Can a surviving spouse of a military retiree get help paying for assisted living?
Possibly: a surviving spouse of a wartime veteran may qualify for VA survivors pension with Aid and Attendance if income and net worth are low enough, and Survivor Benefit Plan payments count as income.
A veterans service officer can run the numbers at no charge, using the residence's monthly bill as an unreimbursed care expense.
Do Fort Carson and the Air Force Academy offer senior care services to retirees?
Military installations offer retiree activities, some pharmacy and clinic access on a space-available basis, and retiree councils, but not long-term care; assisted living and nursing care come from licensed community providers or the VA.
Retiree activity offices are a good source of word-of-mouth about local residences and agencies.
