According to a recent Auburnpub.com article, the U.S. House Veterans Affairs Committee’s Subcommittee on Health began hearings on March 11th concerning the U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs’ (VA) slow implementation of the federal 2010 Caregivers and Veterans Omnibus Health Services Act. The law’s purpose is to provide additional services and support for caregivers of very ill and severely injured veterans, and an additional stipend to family members who care for post 9/11 veterans. The President signed the bill into law on May 5, 2010 and it took effect on January 30, 2011.
According to the article, Health Subcommittee Chairwoman, New York Representative Ann Marie Buerkle, has said that “… when VA finally released its initial implementation plan on February 9th, it was immediately met with consternation by lawmakers and stakeholders who raised serious concerns about the strict eligibility criteria and other issues, including the provision for respite care, mental health coverage, and in-home monitoring requirements."
David W. Gorman, executive director of the Washington Headquarters of the Disabled American Veterans (DAV), said in a recent VA press release, “DAV is happy to hear that caregivers of Veterans are getting additional support and services to care for our nation’s heroes and unprecedented new services for our most recent severely ill and injured…[but] [w]e understand there are challenges to implementing the new law; including ensuring that critically ill and injured Veterans of all eras are similarly supported.”
