From: The Honorable Elizabeth H. Esty
Sent By:
Michael.Carlo@mail.house.gov
Bill: H.R. 2894
Date: 9/20/2016

Expand Eligibility for VA Family Caregivers Assistance

Support H.R. 2894, the CARE for All Veterans Act

Endorsed by: Disabled American Veterans, The American Legion, Veterans of Foreign Wars of the United States, Paralyzed Veterans of America, Military Officers Association of America, AMVETS, VetsFirst

Dear Colleague,

We have seen the lifelong wounds from which far too many of our nation’s veterans suffer long after they return home, many of whom require lifelong medical intervention and long-term care as a continuing result of the sacrifices they made in service to our
country. Family caregivers can assist veterans with their personal care needs and support veterans in their daily activities. Some of the services provided include bathing and dressing, housework, managing of finances, transportation, coordinating medical
care, administering physical and medical therapies, etc. The Caregivers and Veterans Omnibus Health Services Act of 2010 marked the needed investment in supporting the family caregivers of our veterans because such time and dedication to the caring of a veteran
can often take an emotional and physical toll on the caregiver. However, this law limits eligibility for the VA caregiver support program to post-9/11 veterans only.

In the 2014 RAND Corporation study, “Hidden Heroes: America’s Military Caregivers,” there are an estimated 5.5 million military caregivers in the United States, and of those, only 19.6% care for post-9/11 era veterans. We believe that the benefits
and services available for the family caregivers of post-9/11 veterans should be made available to veterans of all service eras, and we urge you to cosponsor H.R. 2894, the Caregivers Access and Responsible Expansion (CARE) for All Veterans Act.

According to a 2013 VA report, the Program of Comprehensive Assistance for Family Caregivers has improved the health and well-being of veterans who incurred or aggravated a serious injury on or after September 11, 2001. We have heard from veterans of World
War II, Vietnam, and other eras who do not understand why they cannot access this invaluable assistance. In fact, the VA has stated in the same 2013 report that expanding the program “would allow equitable access to seriously injured veterans from all eras.”

The CARE for All Veterans Act treats veterans of all service eras equally, while also addressing the cost of care for our disabled veterans. In-home care is substantially less expensive than institutional care; in fact the VA spent over $5 billion in FY2014
on institutional care. Additionally, the VA’s initial review of the current program showed a significant decrease in the average monthly inpatient utilization by family caregivers of these veterans. The RAND “Hidden Heroes” study also states that
“the assistance provided by caregivers saves the U.S. millions of dollars each year in healthcare costs and allows millions of veterans to live at home rather than in institutions.

Lastly, the CARE for All Veterans Act ensures the program will grow responsibly and with minimal impact on the current program. According to the VA’s review of the program, an estimated 32,000 to 88,000 veterans would become eligible if expanded entirely
in the first year.  Therefore, H.R. 2894 will expand eligibility gradually, prioritizing veterans most in need, in order to responsibly create an equitable system for all service-era veterans.

We introduced the CARE for All Veterans Act because we believe the policy of expanding the caregiver support program to all service-era veterans and their caregivers is not only the right thing to do, but will also diminish the need and cost of more expensive
institutional care. Those who sustained a serious injury in service to their country, and their family members who have sacrificed so much to care for these heroes, deserve an equitable system.

To cosponsor or request further information, please contact Michael Carlo with Rep. Esty at
Michael.Carlo@mail.house.gov or 5-4476, and Katharine Bruce with Rep. Costello at
Katharine.Bruce@mail.house.gov or 5-4315.

Sincerely,

Elizabeth H. Esty                                                             Ryan A. Costello

Member of Congress                                                        Member of Congress