Page 28 - Desert Oracle October 2021

Washington Update

Recent news regarding legislation and regulatory actions affecting veterans and people with disabilities.
Written and produced by Paralyzed Veterans of America - Government Relations Department
September 29, 2021 Volume 27, Number 16

Want to Follow the Status of Priority Issues Between Updates?
Visit PVA’s VoterVoice Portal to view our latest alerts and a list of key

legislation and its status. Also, sign the petition to improve access to air
travel in honor of the 35th anniversary of the Air Carrier Access Act.

CONGRESS APPROVES VA BENEFIT INCREASE

Congress recently approved S. 189, the Veterans’ Compensation Cost-of-Living Adjustment Act
of 2021, which authorizes cost-of-living increases in VA disability compensation and
dependency and indemnity compensation payments for calendar year 2022. The actual rate of
the increase, which has not yet been determined, will be the same as recipients of Social
Security and military pension payments. Traditionally, Social Security announces any increase
in mid-to-late October.

VA ISSUES INTERIM FINAL RULE EXTENDING CAREGIVER ELIGIBILITY FOR LEGACY
PARTICIPANTS AND LEGACY APPLICANTS

On September 22, VA notified veterans service organizations (VSOs) that VA was publishing an
interim final rule regarding eligibility of legacy participants and legacy applicants for the Program
of Comprehensive Assistance for Family Caregivers (PCAFC). Dr. Colleen Richardson, PsyD,
Executive Director, Caregiver Support Program, informed VSOs that the interim final rule would
extend PCAFC eligibility for these individuals until September 30, 2022.

On July 30, 2020, VA published a final rule implementing the expansion of VA’s PCAFC. The
final rule called for all legacy participants and legacy applicants to be reassessed beginning
October 1, 2020, and ending on September 30. According to Dr. Richardson, VA was unable to
complete the reassessments because of the number of applications received for the PCAFC.
Extending the reassessment period will give VA an additional year to complete them and ensure
that all are treated equitably.

Paralyzed Veterans of America
Government Relations Department
801 18 Street, NW ∙ Washington, DC 20006
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(800) 424-8200 ∙ (800) 795-4327 ∙ www.pva.org