We Want Your Feedback About Proposed Changes to PCAFC

VA Caregiver Support

Dear Caregivers and Veterans,

We hope this message finds you well. We’re reaching out to share an important announcement. A Notice of Proposed Rulemaking has been published, which would expand access to the Program of Comprehensive Assistance for Family Caregivers (PCAFC) – an essential part of our Caregiver Support Program (CSP).

Through PCAFC, Family Caregivers of eligible Veterans have access to training, enhanced respite care, counseling, technical support, and beneficiary travel. Primary Family Caregivers can also receive a monthly stipend, CHAMPVA health coverage (if qualified), and access to legal and financial planning services.

Please note, the changes described are proposed changes only. No changes have taken effect at this time.

The proposed rule is now available for review, and a 60-day public comment period begins tomorrow. This is your opportunity to share your thoughts and feedback. VA will carefully consider all comments before finalizing the rule, which may change after comments are taken into account

Through the proposed rule, VA seeks to expand and clarify access to the program; reassess eligibility less frequently, reducing burden on Veterans and caregivers; and expand access to telehealth home visits in case of emergencies. Key Highlights of the Proposed Changes:

• Expanded Eligibility: A broader definition of serious injury could allow more  Veterans and caregivers to qualify for support.
  
  
• Telehealth Flexibility: VA seeks to offer telehealth home visits during certain types of emergencies.
  
  
• Extended Delay in Discharges Based on Reassessments: This proposed rule would delay discharges based on eligibility reassessments for legacy participants, legacy applicants, and their Family Caregivers for an additional 18 months after the effective date of a final rule. The delay in discharges is currently slated to expire in September 2025. VA’s suspension of required annual reassessments, including legacy reassessments remains in place at this time.
  
  
• Fewer reassessments: Under the proposed rule, VA would reassess eligibility less frequently, lowering the burden for Veterans and their families.
  
  
• Eligibility Clarification: New criteria would expand and clarify the bases on which a Veteran may be determined in need of personal care services for six continuous months.

How You Can Get Involved: We encourage you to share your thoughts during the public comment period. Your voice matters and can help shape the future of this program. Please refer to our Frequently Asked Questions document for more information.

Thank you for your unwavering dedication and support. Caregivers are at the heart of our mission, and we’re here to support you every step of the way.

Your Caregiver Support Team

National Alliance for Care at Home Welcomes Sherl Brand as New COO 

NAHC Report

The National Alliance for Care at Home is proud to announce the addition of a proven leader, Sherl Brand, RN, BSN, who will be joining the Alliance as its first Chief Operating Officer (COO), effective in mid-January.  

Sherl Brand comes to the Alliance with a wealth of experience spanning over three decades in nursing, association management, and health care management. Prior to joining the Alliance, Sherl has been serving  as Senior Vice President for Hospice  Care at VNS Health. Before that, Sherl held senior positions at CareCentrix and VNA Health Group. Sherl served as chair of the Forum of State Associations for almost four years, and as President and CEO of Home Care Association of New Jersey for seven years. She served on the Board of Directors of the National Association for Home Care & Hospice, the Medicaid Partnership for Home-Based Care, and the Home Care 100 Advisory Board.

“Sherl’s leadership experience and history of successful management of trade associations and home care and hospice organizations  make her a perfect fit for the Alliance,” said Alliance CEO Dr. Steven Landers. “I see Sherl as the perfect partner to make sure the Alliance operational team is engaged and organized to ensure our treasured members receive amazing services and support. She has the knowledge and experience to lead our operations during this dynamic time for the Alliance and the care at home movement.”

This is How We Leave Our Body, How We Leave This World…

Barbara Karnes

We go through labor to enter this world AND we go through labor to leave it. Most of us don’t know this. When we see our special person struggling, we, the watchers, think something pathological is happening or we think the professionals are not doing enough to provide proper care.

In reality, nothing bad is happening. It is sad — but not bad. This is how we leave our body, how we leave this world.

Dying is not pretty. It is often messy, loud, and very scary for us watchers. Because we only have tv and the movies as our guide on how people die, we are not prepared for its ugliness. Add our emotions of sadness to what we see and we end up with a distorted memory of our experience. We end up with misconceptions of what was happening.

My booklets go into detail but here are a few of the natural things people do in the moments before death:

Member Playbook for Hospice Special Focus Program

The Hospice Special Focus Program (SFP) was developed by the Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services (CMS) to identify and improve the performance of hospice providers struggling to meet quality standards. As part of the 2020 HOSPICE Act, the SFP was intended to strengthen oversight, promote quality improvements, and ensure compliance among underperforming hospices. However, as the program has taken shape, numerous concerns have emerged regarding its implementation. These concerns, including reliance on incomplete data and the potential for unfair targeting of quality providers, have spurred a series of legislative and stakeholder actions.

The Alliance has produced a valuable Member Playbook for organizations to respond to the SFP, which outlines strategies and tactics for members to use after the publication of a list of hospices by CMS’ Hospice SFP. The Member Playbook contains:

These materials should be customized and utilized to fulfill three primary purposes:

If members are wrongfully included in the list, they should utilize any data or track record of success to underscore their commitment to patient care and push back against CMS’ listing.