(Photo: sabinevanerp)
The VA will soon propose a rule to extend eligibility for the Program of Comprehensive Assistance for Family Caregivers, PCAFC, through Sept. 30, 2028. The extension will apply to legacy participants, legacy applicants, and their caregivers, providing them with continued access to benefits for an additional three years while the department works to revise the program’s regulations.
“Legacy caregivers have helped shape VA’s Caregiver Support Program for many years,” VA Secretary Doug Collins said. “This decision underscores VA’s commitment to Veterans and caregivers across the nation and will help provide consistency and stability to nearly 15,000 legacy participants for years to come.”
Legacy participants include Veterans, Service Members, and their family caregivers who were enrolled in PCAFC as of September 30, 2020. Legacy applicants are those who applied before October 1, 2020, and were accepted into the program after that date.
PCAFC assists family caregivers of eligible Veterans who sustained or aggravated serious injuries during their military service. The program includes services such as caregiver education and training, respite care, counseling, technical support, reimbursement for travel costs, a monthly stipend, and access to health care through the Civilian Health and Medical Program of the Department of Veterans Affairs, CHAMPVA.
Monthly stipends vary by region and level of care, averaging about $3,000 for caregivers of Veterans needing full-time assistance and around $1,800 for Veterans with less severe needs.
Currently, nearly 90,000 caregivers are enrolled in either PCAFC or the VA’s Program of General Caregiver Support Services. In recent years, the department has faced criticism over attempted changes to PCAFC eligibility rules. In June 2022, the VA halted all reassessments and dismissals amid concerns that caregivers were being unfairly removed. Since then, the department has repeatedly delayed implementation of revised eligibility criteria.
In December, a notice in the Federal Register extended the pause on legacy participant dismissals through late 2026. The new proposal would push that deadline back two more years, to 2028, allowing caregivers to keep their current benefits while updates to the program are finalized.
Senate Veterans’ Affairs Committee Chairman Jerry Moran (R-Kan.) supported the extension, saying, “By extending this pause, post-9/11 Veterans and caregivers who have been enrolled in VA’s Program of Comprehensive Assistance for Family Caregivers since before it was expanded to pre-9/11 Veterans in 2020 can rest assured that they will continue to be supported.”
Bob Carey, executive director of the National Defense Committee, said the extension is helpful but urged the department to move faster on permanent changes. “This doesn’t change the underlying regulation that is unnecessarily restrictive,” he said, noting that pre-9/11 Veterans were only allowed into the program starting in 2019.
The Elizabeth Dole Foundation also welcomed the decision. “This resolution has been our top priority,” said CEO Steve Schwab. “This action gives [caregivers] needed financial breathing room while the agency continues to work to finalize the rules governing this vital program.”
Author: Rikki Almanza
Rikki is a Web Content Coordinator for the American Legion, Department of California. With a deep-rooted family connection to the military, Rikki is committed to using her skills and knowledge to provide valuable assistance and resources to servicemembers and veterans.
