119-hr109

[Congressional Bills 119th Congress]
[From the U.S. Government Publishing Office]
[H.R. 109 Introduced in House

    (IH) ]

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119th CONGRESS
 1st Session
 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 caregiver program, and for other purposes.

_______________________________________________________________________

 IN THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES

 January 3, 2025

Mr. Biggs of 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 Representatives of the 
United States of America in Congress assembled,

SECTION 1. SHORT TITLE.

 This Act may be cited as the ``Transparency and Effective 
Accountability Measures for Veteran Caregivers Act'' or the ``TEAM 
Veteran Caregivers Act''.

SEC. 2. MODIFICATION OF ADMINISTRATION OF CAREGIVER PROGRAM OF 
 DEPARTMENT OF VETERANS AFFAIRS.

    (a) Official Designation of Caregivers.--

    (1) In general.--The Secretary of Veterans Affairs shall 
 formally recognize all caregivers of veterans by identifying 
 any caregiver of a veteran in the health record of the veteran.

    (2) Inclusion.--Caregivers recognized under paragraph

    (1) shall include--
        (A) family caregivers participating in the program 
 of comprehensive assistance for family caregivers under 
 subsection

    (a) of 

section 1720G of title 38, United 
 States Code; and
        (B) caregivers participating in the program of 
 support services for caregivers under subsection

    (b) of 
 such section.

    (b) Notification Letters Regarding Clinical Determinations.--

    (1) In general.--The Secretary, using a standardized 
 letter, shall notify veterans and caregivers of veterans 
 regarding any clinical determinations made relating to claims, 
 tier reduction, or termination of assistance under, or 
 eligibility for, a caregiver program under subsection

    (a) or

    (b) of 

section 1720G of title 38, United States Code.

    (2) Elements.--Notifications under paragraph

    (1) shall 
 include the elements required for notices of decisions under 
 

section 5104

    (b) of title 38, United States Code, to the extent 
 that those elements apply to determinations under paragraph

    (1) .
            (c) Temporary Extension of Benefits for Family Caregiver Program.--

    (1) In general.--Upon determining that a veteran who was 
 receiving services under the program of comprehensive 
 assistance for family caregivers under subsection

    (a) of 
 

section 1720G of title 38, United States Code, is no longer 
 clinically eligible for purposes of such program, the Secretary 
 shall extend benefits under such program, including stipends 
 under paragraph

    (3)
        (A)
            (ii) 
            (V) of such subsection, for not less 
 than 90 days after the date of notification under subsection

    (b) that the veteran is no longer clinically eligible.

    (2) Exclusion.--Paragraph

    (1) shall not apply to the 
 termination of caregiver benefits--
        (A) if the Secretary determines that the family 
 caregiver committed fraud or abused or neglected the 
 veteran;
        (B) if the family caregiver was designated under 
 

section 1720G

    (a)

    (7) of title 38, United States Code, as 
 the primary provider of personal care services for the 
 veteran and another primary provider is designated 
 within 90 days after the date of termination, in which 
 case benefits for the terminated primary provider will 
 terminate the day before the date on which the new 
 primary provider is designated;
            (C) if another individual is designated to be a 
 family caregiver within 90 days after the date of 
 termination, such that there are three family 
 caregivers assigned to the veteran, in which case 
 benefits for the terminated family caregiver will 
 terminate the day before the date on which the new 
 family caregiver is designated;
            (D) the terminated individual had been living with 
 the veteran and moves out, or the terminated individual 
 abandons or terminates his or her relationship with the 
 veteran; or
        (E) upon request of the family caregiver or the 
 veteran.
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