The Department of Veterans Affairs (VA) has extended eligibility for the Program of Comprehensive Assistance for Family Caregivers (PCAFC) for certain veterans and their family caregivers. The final rule, published on September 29, extends this eligibility through September 30, 2028.
This extension ensures that legacy participants, legacy applicants, and their family caregivers will continue to qualify for PCAFC. They will not see a reduction in their monthly stipend due to reassessment for an additional three years, except in limited circumstances.
Legacy participants are defined as veterans or service members whose family caregivers were approved and designated by VA as of September 30, 2020. Legacy applicants are those who applied before October 1, 2020, and were accepted into the program on or after that date. For continued eligibility under this provision, the primary family caregiver must remain the same person named in the original application submitted before October 1, 2020.
The key aspects of this extension include an extended transition period for those in the legacy cohort and ongoing eligibility without a decrease in stipends unless exceptions apply. However, members of the legacy cohort can still be discharged or removed from PCAFC under certain conditions such as at their own request or if they do not comply with program requirements.
Certain reassessments remain suspended during this period. Individuals may still ask for a reassessment if they believe they qualify for increased support.
VA is also considering further changes to PCAFC as described in a proposed rule published on December 6, 2024.
More information about VA’s Caregiver Program is available at www.caregiver.va.gov. Veterans and their families can call the Caregiver Support Line at 855-260-3274 during business hours or use the locator tool at https://www.caregiver.va.gov/support/New_CSC_Page.asp to connect with local support teams.
