“As Veterans Affairs officials prepare for a massive expansion of caregiver stipends later this year, lawmakers are expressing concern that the department still can’t administer the current program properly, leaving many participating families confused and frustrated.”
“A new analysis from the office of Sen. Patty Murray, D-Wash., found that more than 30 percent of individuals enrolled in VA’s Program of Comprehensive Assistance for Family Caregivers have dropped out of the system over the last two years, a figure she calls ‘disturbing.'”
“The program provides several thousands of dollars a months to some families caring for veterans who served after 9/11…”
“The staggered expansion is designed to minimize disruption on the system. Officials estimate expansion could grant monthly stipends to more than 41,000 new veteran families in coming years, more than double the current number of stipend recipients.”
“But last week, during a House Veterans’ Affairs Committee hearing on the topic, lawmakers from both parties questioned whether VA’s information technology systems would be ready for the fall deadline, and whether the department has learned from past problems with the caregiver program…” Read the full article here.
Source: Falling enrollment in VA’s caregiver program raises concerns – By Leo Shane III, May 29, 2019. Military Times.
