CARE Act of 2023

The Veteran Caregiver Application and Appeals Reform (CARE) Act of 2023 (H.R. 4518) aims to streamline and improve the Department of Veterans Affairs (VA) program that provides support and stipends to family caregivers of disabled veterans. The bill requires the VA to include relevant medical specialists when evaluating caregiver applications and mandates more detailed explanations for eligibility decisions or denials to increase transparency.

For veterans and their families, this legislation is designed to reduce bureaucratic "red tape" by allowing Veterans Service Organizations (VSOs) and other recognized groups to officially assist them in navigating the application and appeals process. While originally introduced as a standalone bill, its core provisions were recently incorporated into a larger veterans' healthcare package and signed into law, ensuring that caregivers have better access to the benefits and professional support they need to care for veterans at home.