Barrett Introduces Bill to Support Veteran Caregivers by Modernizing Outdated Application System
Washington, D.C. — Today, Congressman Tom Barrett (MI-07), Chairman of the House Veterans’ Affairs Subcommittee on Technology Modernization, introduced the Veterans’ Caregiver Appeals Modernization Act. This legislation would make critical and long-overdue improvements to the Department of Veterans Affairs (VA) Program of Comprehensive Assistance for Family Caregivers (PCAFC).
This program is designed to ensure our nation’s most injured and disabled veterans, who choose to receive care at home rather than in the hospital, are not subjecting their loved ones to a significant financial burden.
“No veteran who requires a caregiver should ever be forced into a facility when they have a loved one who is willing to support them in the comfort of their own home,” said Barrett. “Unfortunately, an outdated and broken system has taken away that option for too many veterans who have fallen through the cracks, placing an undue financial burden on their family in the process. This legislation is a simple fix that will ensure applications for caregivers’ financial assistance are considered fairly and streamlined in a way that properly serves our veterans.”
Unlike other parts of the VA, the Veterans Health Administration (VHA) does not have a unified digital system for applications within its caregiver program. As a result, medical records and patient documents are scattered across multiple platforms, many of which are not accessible to the different VA staff involved in the process. This creates delays, confusion, and unjust denials, particularly during appeals, which can take years to resolve.
The Veterans’ Caregiver Appeals Modernization Act eliminates the bureaucratic roadblocks that stand between family caretakers and the VA. By streamlining and improving the VA’s caregiver program application process, veterans and their caregivers will finally be able to receive timely and accurate decisions. This bill would also ensure that family members who put their careers on hold to care full-time for their loved ones receive the past-due financial support they have earned.
Click here to read the bill text.
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