VA to Begin Reassessing Post-9/11 Veterans and their Caregivers
By PVA National Office Staff
On July 31, VA published a final rule that makes changes to VA’s Program of Comprehensive Assistance for Family Caregivers.
A provision in the rule sets forth reassessment criteria for veterans and their caregivers who submitted a joint application that was approved by VA before October 1, 2020.
Between October 1, 2020, and September 30, 2021, VA will conduct the reassessment process. The reassessment will be based on the new eligibility criteria set forth in the final rule.
No matter when a veteran’s reassessment occurs within that year, the veteran will maintain automatic eligibility for one year – through September 30, 2021.
The assessment will be conducted by staff from the veteran’s local VA medical center, and may include a visit to his or her home. VA staff may complete visits through video conference or other available telehealth modalities.
Once the reassessment is complete, a Centralized Eligibility and Appeals Team will review and decide the veteran’s eligibility beyond September 30, 2021. VA will notify veterans of their eligibility determination results in writing.
Caregiver Support program staff will contact veterans who must be reassessed for the program. In the meantime, veterans should contact their local Caregiver Support program staff if they have questions.
Also, VA is changing the way monthly stipend payments are calculated in order to make the program more consistent. VA believes that for many primary family caregivers of current participants (post-9/11), these changes will result in an increase in the stipend payment amount.
For those who may receive a decrease in the monthly payment as a result of these changes, the final rule establishes a one-year transition period.
No decrease will occur before October 1, 2021, unless: 1) the veteran relocates to a new address, at which point the stipend would be calculated by the new methodology or 2) the veteran is discharged or revoked from the program.
