Current estimates reveal that in the U.S. there are more than 14 million caregivers providing support to wounded, ill, or injured service members and Veterans. This group represents about 5.5% of the adult U.S. population. Among these caregivers, individuals report spending more than $8,000 a year out-of-pocket each year on delivering care and the time spent caregiving and away from work has meant an average loss of more than $4,000 in annual income.
If you provide care for a Veteran, you may be eligible for monthly pay, reimbursement for travel expenses related to the Veteran’s care, and other benefits through the VA Caregiver Support Program. CSP provides support and resources to caregivers of eligible and covered Veterans enrolled in the VA health care system. The program aims to promote the health and well-being of caregivers through education, resources, support services, and connections to local caregiver support teams at every VA facility. This includes caregivers of Veterans of all eras — including post 9/11 and Vietnam era Veterans.
Who is Eligible?
In-person personal care services means that the primary family caregiver is providing care to the Veteran in their home. This can include things like bathing, grooming, dressing, feeding, and transporting the Veteran.
VA will also consider services provided in a nursing home or assisted living facility as in-person personal care service if it is determined that the Veteran receives more than 50% of their total care from the VA caregiver.
Eligibility requirements for the family caregiver:
“You must be at least 18 years old. And at least one of these must be true for you:
- You’re a spouse, son, daughter, parent, stepfamily member, or extended family member of the Veteran, or
- You live full time with the Veteran, or you’re willing to live full time with the Veteran if we designate you as a family caregiver
Eligibility requirements for the Veteran
All of these must be true for the Veteran you’re caring for:
- The Veteran has a VA disability rating (individual or combined) of 70% or higher, and
- The Veteran was discharged from the U.S. military or has a date of medical discharge, and
- The Veteran needs at least 6 months of continuous, in-person personal care services, and
- The Veteran needs to be enrolled in VA health care
Personal care services are services the Veteran needs from another person. They include care or assistance to support these parts of the Veteran’s life:
- Health and well-being
- Everyday personal needs (like feeding, bathing, and dressing)
- Safety, protection, or instruction in their daily living environment”
How to Apply
There are several steps you will need to take to demonstrate to the VA that you, as a caregiver, and your Veteran are eligible for CSP.
Step 1: Review the Criteria for Eligibility.
Both the Veteran and the Caregiver should become fully familiar with the all the eligibility requirements.
Step 2: Collect the Required Documents
The Veteran must provide service and medical records and proof of their disability rating. The caregiver must provide certification of their relationship to the Veteran and detailed information about the daily care needs of the Veteran and how those are being met.
Step 3: Fill Out the Application
VA Form 10-10CG it the application form. It can be downloaded from the VA website or obtained from a local VA office. The form asks for a lot of information about the Veteran and the caregiver. To keep the process on track and moving forward. be as detailed and accurate as possible.
If you’re a representative signing this application on behalf of a Veteran, you must have legal authority to make decisions on behalf of the Veteran. Or you must have authority to fill out and sign applications on behalf of the Veteran. You will have to submit documentation proving you have legal authority. (A list of accepted documentation can be found on the VA’s website.)
Step 4: Submit the Application
You can submit the completed application in one of three ways:
- Online: The most convenient and fastest method is to submit the application directly through VA’s website (va.gov).
- By Mail: Send the completed application to the appropriate VA processing center. The mailing address can be found on the VA website.
- In Person. If you have questions or need assistance in filing your application the third option, delivering the application in person to your local VA regional office might be your best option.
Step 5: Attend the C&P Examination
VA may require a Compensation and Pension (C&P) exam to evaluate the Veteran’s care needs and confirm their service-connected disability rating if they have not undergone this exam recently. This is a critical part of determining eligibility for the caregiver program, so the Veteran must show up for this exam.
Step 6: Review Period
After submitting the application, there will be a period of time when the VA will review your application to determine your eligibility. During the review period you may be contacted for additional information or explanation.
Step 7: Caregiver Training
After approval, primary caregivers are required to undergo specific VA training. This training is designed to ensure caregivers are prepared for the responsibilities of caregiving, including managing medical tasks, emergency response, and self-care.
How much is the monthly CSP stipend?
For up to date information about stipend amounts and support, caregivers are encouraged to visit www.caregiver.va.gov or contact the VA Caregiver Support Line at 1-855-260-3274.
Veterans: Boost Your Chances of Winning Disability Benefits.
When you hire an experienced VA disability attorney you have a much greater chance of winning your claim than if you have no representation. The VA’s own statistics from the Board of Veterans Appeals show that in fiscal 2024 nearly 43% of appeals were approved with attorney representation, compared to less than 30% without representation.
Veterans represented by attorneys also experience a lower denial rate for their claims. The denial rate for Veterans with attorney representation before the BVA was less than 15% compared to more than 21% of claims were denied among those Veterans with no representative to fight for their rights. VA disability attorneys also had a higher success rate than any of the Veteran Service Organizations.
Source: Department of Veterans Affairs (VA) Board of Veterans’ Appeals Annual Report Fiscal Year (FY) 2024
For a free evaluation of your situation, contact us at Cuddigan Law. And if you hire us, we only get paid when you win your disability claim.
