Page 37 - Desert Oracle April 2022
P. 37
passage of this important piece of legislation would However, anyone found to be eligible for more
help greater numbers of veterans receive long-term benefits will be granted upgrades.
services and supports in their homes and provide
better support for their caregivers. You can view a Soon, VA plans to meet with VSOs to review
recording of the hearing here or read PVA’s written eligibility rules with an eye towards changing them
statement here. in the future. They will also be notifying PCAFC
participants of the recent action and what to expect
VA HALTS CAREGIVER PROGRAM DISMISSALS IN while the review is being completed. This is a fluid
ADVANCE OF CONGRESSIONAL HEARING situation and PVA will provide updates as more
information becomes available.
On March 22, VA announced it is temporarily
halting dismissals of veterans from its Program of SENATE VETERANS’ AFFAIRS COMMITTEE
Comprehensive Assistance for Family Caregivers EXAMINES VA CAREGIVER PROGRAM
Program (PCAFC) following reassessment of
eligibility under VA’s new criteria. VA Deputy The Senate Veterans’ Affairs Committee held a
Secretary Donald Remy made the announcement hearing on March 23 to discuss ways to improve the
during the VA Secretary’s monthly press conference VA’s comprehensive caregiver program but its tone
which was scheduled the day before a Senate was tempered somewhat by VA’s announcement
Veterans’ Affairs Committee hearing focusing on the previous day it was temporarily stopping
improving the program. “As we’ve completed those dismissals from the program.
reassessments it has become evident that there
were some unintended consequences in the way Committee members expressed concerns about the
that the regulations were written,” Deputy Secretary number of families being kicked out of the program,
Remy said. “There are veterans with moderate to the importance of enabling veterans to stay in their
severe caregiving needs who are unable to be homes as long as possible, and the need to get the
admitted into the program or remain in the program eligibility rules right. Beth Taylor, MD, Assistant
as the regulations currently are written. Meaning a Under Secretary for Health, Patient Care Services
vast majority of the decisions exclude veterans and and Chief Nursing Officer, Veterans Health
caregivers from the program. That’s simply not what Administration was the principal witness for the VA.
we want.” She told the Committee that the VA has heard and
understands the concerns raised by lawmakers,
In developing the new program’s final rule, VA told veterans, caregivers, and VSOs. She
veterans service organizations (VSO) and Congress acknowledged the department missed the mark on
they anticipated about 6,700 veterans and the current regulations and will be working to revise
caregivers—roughly one-third of nearly 20,000 them with input from VSOs, caregivers, and
families admitted prior to the October 2020 start veterans. Representatives from several VSOs were
date—would no longer be eligible to participate. In invited to testify as well as the caregiver of a
reality, the program’s new eligibility requirements veteran who was recently informed they would be
were well on their way to requiring dismissal of removed from the program.
nearly 90 percent of the program’s legacy
participants. PVA also submitted a statement for the hearing. We
identified several concerns with the new program
The length of the pause is unknown, but Deputy including its stringent eligibility rules, lack of
Secretary Remy said VA would take as long as transparency, and uncertain appeals process.
necessary to fix the problem. During this timeframe, Additionally, we spoke of the need to aid veterans
VA will still be conducting assessments for the transitioning to other VA programs and the urgent
roughly 30 percent of legacy participants awaiting need to pass S. 3954, the Elizabeth Dole Home and
their reviews but no adverse actions will be taken if Community Based Services for Veterans and
the department finds they are no longer eligible. Caregivers Act, which seeks to expand community-
