From PVA’s “Washington Update.”
President Signs Critical Veterans Legislation
On May 5, President Obama signed into law P.L. 111-163, the “Caregivers and Veterans Omnibus Health Services Act,” that will provide help to many groups, including PVA members. PVA and other veterans’ organizations strongly supported this legislation that will make an enormous difference to the recovery and rehabilitation of our injured, ill and disabled veterans and their families.
PVA has worked tirelessly on parts of the legislation for several years. The
new law covers a broad array of healthcare initiatives and reforms contained
in multiple bills that have been pending since the start of the 111th Congress,
including a prohibition against the collection of co-payments by the VA from
veterans who are catastrophically disabled. It has long been a goal of PVA to
eliminate co-payments for Priority Group 4 (catastrophically disabled non-service
connected) veterans. This now prohibits VA from collecting co-payments from
those catastrophically disabled veterans for medical services rendered. PVA
members are the highest users of VA healthcare services. This important legislation
will ensure that our non-service connected, catastrophically disabled veterans
will continue to receive the highest quality health care without the heavy financial
burden that many have faced in the past.
The new law provides
help those take care of veterans with disabilities. Many family members take
care of their disabled loved ones, but never receive any training on how to
properly provide the care. The new law provides training, support and in-home
respite care to ease the overwhelming burden placed on caregivers of veterans.
In addition, many family members give up their jobs to provide this care. Now
they will have access to health care as well as a stipend for caregivers who
live with and care for seriously wounded veterans of Iraq and Afghanistan.
One challenge that
veterans have faced for many years is lack of services in rural areas. The Department
of Veterans Affairs (VA) system of hospitals is located mainly in larger cities
and towns and this has caused rural veterans to have to make long trips to get
services. The new law increases travel reimbursements for veterans receiving
treatment at VA facilities and grants for organizations transporting veterans
residing in highly rural areas.
The new law provides
enhanced services for the growing number of female veterans as well. A report
to Congress by VA will outline its comprehensive assessment of the barriers
in providing health care to women veterans.
The new law will also
improve and expand VA facilities and research, provide increased access to mental
health services for Operation Enduring Freedom/Operation Iraqi Freedom servicemembers,
including National Guard or Reserve, to receive readjustment counseling and
requires VA to conduct a study on veterans’ suicides. The law also provides
enhanced services to provide for some of our most vulnerable veterans, those
who are homeless.
While the caregiver provisions are required to be implemented within 270 days of enactment of the bill, implementation dates for the remaining provisions varies. According to Congressional staff, the provisions pertaining to the elimination of co-payments for Priority Group 4 veterans should be effective immediately. However, PVA will continue to work with the VA to ensure full implementation occurs quickly and properly.
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