Caregivers Lose Stipends

Due to closer scrutiny by VA, the caregivers of about 7,000 veterans who once were enrolled in VA's Comprehensive Assistance for Family Caregivers Program no longer are receiving stipends. The program delivers extra compensation to caregivers of badly wounded Iraq and Afghanistan veterans in the interest of keeping them out of expensive, long-term treatment facilities. Most of the caregivers are spouses or close family members of veterans. The program still is growing at a rate of 400 patients a month, but the Department of Veterans Affairs (VA) has been taking a closer look at the veterans it initially enrolled to see whether they still meet standards to continue receiving checks. The VA badly underfunded the program and fell behind in oversight, according to a September 2014 study from the Government Accountability Office. For information on caregiver support services from VA, visit the Military.com website.