Arizona senior Senator Kyrsten Sinema has called on the U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs to improve the VA Family Caregivers Program and better communicate with veterans and their families as changes to VA Family Caregivers Program are implemented.
“Arizona veterans and their families deserve certainty and clear communication from the VA about their program eligibility, and we’ll continue holding the VA accountable to improve its efforts supporting Arizona veterans and their caregivers,” said Sinema, a member of the Senate Veterans’ Affairs Committee.
Sinema’s letter recommended to the VA solutions on how to better communicate VA Family Caregivers Program changes to both legacy and prospective participants. Sinema also requested the VA soften barriers of program entry and provide more support to those seeking to reapply.
In 2018, Congress expanded the Family Caregiver Program through the VA Mission Act. But VA’s implementation left some legacy participants potentially losing eligibility. In 2020, the VA issued a rule that revised eligibility in the Family Caregiver Program, limiting it to those with 70% service connection or higher. Though the implementation was delayed, legacy participants are now in the process of being notified of their removal from the program. As many as 6,700 participants are being disenrolled of the 30,000 total legacy participants. Sinema is working to ensure VA improves its communication with program participants and protect all legacy participants.