“The U.S. Senate recently approved a bipartisan bill introduced by U.S. Sen. Marsha Blackburn (R-TN) that would revise how the U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs (VA) administers federal caregiver programs…”
“The Transparency and Effective Accountability Measures for (TEAM) Veteran Caregivers Act, S. 2216, which Sen. Blackburn cosponsored in July 2019 with bill sponsor U.S. Sen. Gary Peters (D-MI), would require the VA to formally recognize caregivers of veterans by identifying any caregiver in the electronic health record of the veteran. Such caregivers would include those approved as a provider of personal care services under the Program of Comprehensive Assistance for Family Caregivers and those participating in the Program of General Caregiver Support Services, according to the congressional record bill summary…”
“The VA provides stipends and support to caregivers for wounded veterans, who are eligible for the program if they have sustained or aggravated a serious injury in the line of duty on or after Sept. 11, 2001, or on or before May 7, 1975, and need personal care services for supervision and protection to help them with daily living activities, according to information provided by Sen. Blackburn’s office.”
“In 2018, the VA Office of the Inspector General reported that the VA failed to adequately manage the caregiver program after determining that caregivers and veterans were arbitrarily discharged or downgraded from the program and had their benefits revoked or reduced, according to Sen. Blackburn’s office.”
“If enacted, S. 2216 would ensure all caregivers are included in the veterans’ medical records, and would require a minimum standard of information in downgrade notification letters, according to a bill summary provided by the senator’s office…” Read the full article here.
Source: Senate approves, advances Blackburn’s bipartisan veteran caregivers bill – November 30, 2020. Ripon Advance.
