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VETERANS POST
By Freddy Groves
The Department of Veterans Affairs is giving a helping hand to veteran caregivers of all eras. The Program of Comprehensive Assistance for Family Caregivers (PCAFC) has been expanded to include eligible veterans who served after May 7, 1975, and before Sept. 11, 2001.
At-home caregivers have been the glue that held together any number of veteran programs, and now more of them will get the assistance they need. The program assists caregivers with health insurance and access to health care through CHAMPVA, peer support, respite care (30 days per year), education and training, financial assistance and monthly stipend, certain travel expenses, resources and more. The program includes both primary and secondary (backup) caregivers, although there are different services for secondary.
At the same time, the VA is extending the length of time that Legacy participants, veterans and their caregivers can stay eligible for the program. This date now runs through Sept. 30, 2025. “Legacy” means that a veteran was designed as eligible before Oct. 1, 2020.
Eligible veterans include those who had a serious injury or a serious illness during active duty during any service era. The veteran must have a disability rating of 70% or higher, have been discharged or have a medical discharge and need at least six months of personal care services for assistance such as feeding, supervision, safety and bathing.
To learn more about the Caregiver Support Program, call them at 855-260-3274 Monday through Friday from 8 a.m. to 10 p.m. EST, and on Saturday, 8 a.m. to 5 p.m. EST.
For an online application and specific eligibility criteria, go to www.va.gov/family-member-benefits/comprehensive-assistance-for-family-caregivers. Look for the link to VA Form 10-10CG. In addition, the veteran needs to be enrolled in VA health care. Apply for that on VA Form 10-10EZ on that same webpage. Don’t send any medical records with your applications. The VA will ask for those later.
For even more information on PCAFC, go to www.caregiver.va.gov/support/support_benefits.asp and click on “Fact Sheets.”
© 2022 King Features Synd., Inc.
