I
119THCONGRESS
1
STSESSION H. R. 109
To require the Secretary of Veterans Affairs to formally recognize caregivers
of veterans, notify veterans and caregivers of clinical determinations
relating to eligibility for caregiver programs, and temporarily extend
benefits for veterans who are determined ineligible for the family care-
giver program, and for other purposes.
IN THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES
JANUARY3, 2025
Mr. B
IGGSof Arizona introduced the following bill; which was referred to the
Committee on Veterans’ Affairs
A BILL
To require the Secretary of Veterans Affairs to formally
recognize caregivers of veterans, notify veterans and
caregivers of clinical determinations relating to eligibility
for caregiver programs, and temporarily extend benefits
for veterans who are determined ineligible for the family
caregiver program, and for other purposes.
Be it enacted by the Senate and House of Representa-1
tives of the United States of America in Congress assembled, 2
SECTION 1. SHORT TITLE. 3
This Act may be cited as the ‘‘Transparency and Ef-4
fective Accountability Measures for Veteran Caregivers 5
Act’’ or the ‘‘TEAM Veteran Caregivers Act’’. 6
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•HR 109 IH
SEC. 2. MODIFICATION OF ADMINISTRATION OF CARE-1
GIVER PROGRAM OF DEPARTMENT OF VET-2
ERANS AFFAIRS. 3
(a) O
FFICIALDESIGNATION OFCAREGIVERS.— 4
(1) I
N GENERAL.—The Secretary of Veterans 5
Affairs shall formally recognize all caregivers of vet-6
erans by identifying any caregiver of a veteran in 7
the health record of the veteran. 8
(2) I
NCLUSION.—Caregivers recognized under 9
paragraph (1) shall include— 10
(A) family caregivers participating in the 11
program of comprehensive assistance for family 12
caregivers under subsection (a) of section 13
1720G of title 38, United States Code; and 14
(B) caregivers participating in the program 15
of support services for caregivers under sub-16
section (b) of such section. 17
(b) N
OTIFICATIONLETTERSREGARDINGCLINICAL 18
D
ETERMINATIONS.— 19
(1) I
N GENERAL.—The Secretary, using a 20
standardized letter, shall notify veterans and care-21
givers of veterans regarding any clinical determina-22
tions made relating to claims, tier reduction, or ter-23
mination of assistance under, or eligibility for, a 24
caregiver program under subsection (a) or (b) of sec-25
tion 1720G of title 38, United States Code. 26
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•HR 109 IH
(2) ELEMENTS.—Notifications under paragraph 1
(1) shall include the elements required for notices of 2
decisions under section 5104(b) of title 38, United 3
States Code, to the extent that those elements apply 4
to determinations under paragraph (1). 5
(c) T
EMPORARYEXTENSION OFBENEFITS FORFAM-6
ILYCAREGIVERPROGRAM.— 7
(1) I
N GENERAL.—Upon determining that a 8
veteran who was receiving services under the pro-9
gram of comprehensive assistance for family care-10
givers under subsection (a) of section 1720G of title 11
38, United States Code, is no longer clinically eligi-12
ble for purposes of such program, the Secretary 13
shall extend benefits under such program, including 14
stipends under paragraph (3)(A)(ii)(V) of such sub-15
section, for not less than 90 days after the date of 16
notification under subsection (b) that the veteran is 17
no longer clinically eligible. 18
(2) E
XCLUSION.—Paragraph (1) shall not apply 19
to the termination of caregiver benefits— 20
(A) if the Secretary determines that the 21
family caregiver committed fraud or abused or 22
neglected the veteran; 23
(B) if the family caregiver was designated 24
under section 1720G(a)(7) of title 38, United 25
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•HR 109 IH
States Code, as the primary provider of per-1
sonal care services for the veteran and another 2
primary provider is designated within 90 days 3
after the date of termination, in which case 4
benefits for the terminated primary provider 5
will terminate the day before the date on which 6
the new primary provider is designated; 7
(C) if another individual is designated to 8
be a family caregiver within 90 days after the 9
date of termination, such that there are three 10
family caregivers assigned to the veteran, in 11
which case benefits for the terminated family 12
caregiver will terminate the day before the date 13
on which the new family caregiver is des-14
ignated; 15
(D) the terminated individual had been liv-16
ing with the veteran and moves out, or the ter-17
minated individual abandons or terminates his 18
or her relationship with the veteran; or 19
(E) upon request of the family caregiver or 20
the veteran. 21
Æ
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