Senators: Why is help for caregivers delayed? - Military News | News From Afghanistan, Iraq And Around The World - Military Times

Senators: Why is help for caregivers delayed?

A bipartisan group of senators that last year helped to pass landmark legislation providing more support for caregivers of severely wounded veterans is pushing the administration to stop stalling implementation of the new law.

The Caregivers and Veterans Omnibus Health Services Act of 2010 was signed into law May 5 and was supposed to take effect Jan. 20. So far, nothing has happened — not even the development of an implementation plan that was supposed to be complete by the end of November.

“To date, the Obama administration has failed to even set out its initial plan to carry out the law,” says a statement issued by the office of Sen. Patty Murray, D-Wash., the Senate Veterans’ Affairs Committee chairwoman and one of the 18 senators who fired off a letter Monday asking Veterans Affairs Secretary Eric Shinseki and Jack Lew, director of the White House’s Office of Management and Budget, what is taking so long.

Ten Democrats, seven Republicans and one independent signed the letter.

VA had no immediate comment about the senators’ letter or about the status of caregiver benefits. However, VA did announce shortly after the letter was received that it was opening a new toll-free support line for caregivers.

The support line, 855-260-3274, is intended to be a resource and referral center for caregivers and veterans, VA officials said. Licensed social workers and health technicians will staff the line, which will be open Monday through Friday, from 8 a.m. to 11 p.m. Eastern Standard Time, and Saturday from 10:30 a.m. to 6 p.m., VA officials said.

The unimplemented law, Public Law 111-163, promises training, support services and, in some cases, payments for family or friends taking care of severely wounded veterans.

Backed by major military and veterans groups, the final law provides training, education, counseling and mental health services to the primary caregivers of veterans whose disabilities are so great that they likely would be institutionalized if they did not have someone to provide daily care. There are provisions for caregivers to become certified, and subsequently paid the same amount that a home health-care provider would receive for the same work. The law also promises in-home respite care for veterans so caregivers can have a break.

The law leaves many details up to VA — including how much caregivers might be paid — because Obama administration officials had asked for flexibility.

The outrage at the delay is bipartisan. “The long delay in getting this program up and running is a disservice to veterans and their families. Caregivers need training and instruction so they can provide the men and women who were severely wounded while serving our country a better quality of life,” said Sen. Richard Burr of North Carolina, ranking Republican on the Senate Veterans’ Affairs Committee and a co-signer of the letter.