Press Releases

Today, President Donald Trump signed into law a bill introduced by U.S. Representative Mat Cartwright (PA-17) that would protect older, low-income veterans who require assisted care. H.R. 3122, the Veterans Care Financial Protection Act, directs the Department of Veteran Affairs (VA) to work with other federal agencies and states to develop and implement standards that protect veterans from predatory practices associated with the Aid & Assistance (A&A) benefit.

The VA offers the A&A benefit for veterans who qualify for a VA pension and who need financial help with in-home care or assisted living. The A&A application is free, but scam artists have targeted veterans and unscrupulously charged them to obtain these benefits. Scammers have had success in taking ahold of unsuspecting veterans’ assets, and at times have been able to move them into an irrevocable trust or an annuity where they cannot be accessed for many years. Such a movement of assets may also disqualify the veteran from other assistance, like Medicaid. 

“It’s been an appalling, financial nightmare for some veterans, but today’s action signals an end to this kind of predatory treatment,” said Rep. Cartwright. “Greater financial protection for our nation’s heroes was definitely needed, and the new law will put a stop to these fraudulent schemes and ensure that veterans, not the scammers, will receive the value of their hard-earned benefits.”

H.R. 3122, the Veterans Care Financial Protection Act, passed the U.S. House in November 2017 and passed the Senate on February 15, 2018.  Rep. Cartwright introduced the bill in June 2017.