VETERANS: During Committee Hearing, Sen. Murray Pushes VA Official on Inconsistencies in Caregiver Program

Last month, Sen. Murray urged the VA Secretary to examine reports of veterans being cut off abruptly from Caregiver Support Program: Letter

Sen. Murray: “VA must take responsibility for ensuring that consistent, comprehensive guidelines are applied throughout the country to protect the caregivers who have earned this resource.”

VIDEO from today’s hearing

(Washington, D.C.) – Today during a Senate hearing, Sen. Patty Murray (D-WA) questioned a top official at the Department of Veterans Affairs (VA) about reports of veterans being dropped abruptly from VA’s Caregiver Support Program, a program that offers support services for caregivers of disabled or injured veterans. While VA announced recently it would stop dropping anyone from the program until it reviewed its eligibility standards, in today’s hearing Sen. Murray asked the program’s National Director for assurance that veterans and VA staff across the country would receive clear guidance going forward. 

“We have a responsibility to provide high-quality care for the men and women who served our country, so reports of veterans and their caregivers losing access to this vital program—especially with little to no warning– are deeply concerning,” said Senator Murray, a senior member of the Senate Veterans’ Affairs Committee. “While VA was correct to suspend any further changes to the program pending an internal review, VA must take responsibility for ensuring that consistent, comprehensive guidelines are applied throughout the country to protect the caregivers who rely on this critical program.”

Watch video of the exchange between Sen. Murray and Margaret Kabat, National Director for the Caregiver Support Program at VA, here.

Last month, Sen. Murray and Sen. Jon Tester (D-MT) wrote to VA Secretary David Shulkin to urge him to find out why caregivers have been removed from the program and to make sure the Caregiver Support Program is administered consistently across the country. Their letter is here.

About the Caregiver Support Program:

While VA provides essential health care services to disabled and injured veterans, day-to-day care often falls to family caregivers. Through the Caregiver Support Program, VA provides training, health care, and other services to caregivers who often put their own lives on hold to care for their loved ones. Currently, only caregivers of veterans who served after September 11, 2001, are eligible for the full range of support services. Sen. Murray introduced legislation to expand the program to veterans of all eras.