VA Disqualifies Vets from Caregiver Program Despite Promised Pause amid Review

The wife of an Army veteran in Kansas has followed the Department of Veterans Affairs' pause of dismissals from its family caregiver program, so she was not surprised when a VA rep called to schedule the couple's eligibility assessment, given that VA officials said such reviews would continue during the hiatus.
She was shocked, though, when she received a letter dated April 18 telling her the couple was no longer qualified for the program. While the letter stressed that no action will be taken during the VA's review, the woman, whose husband once qualified for the highest tier of assistance, was under the impression that no decision would be made until the department completed the task.
"This means that ... we will have to appeal under the current rules or reapply if the rules are changed," said the wife, who asked that her name not be used out of concern that she and her husband could face retaliation from local VA staff.