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SIGNED INTO LAW: Senator Hassan and Colleagues’ Bipartisan Legislation to Strengthen Veterans’ Health Care and Benefits

WASHINGTON – President Joe Biden signed into law bipartisan legislation introduced by Senators Maggie Hassan (D-NH), Jerry Moran (R-KS), Jon Tester (D-MT), and colleagues to strengthen health care and benefits for veterans. The Senator Elizabeth Dole 21st Century Veterans Healthcare and Benefits Improvement Act will help more veterans get the in-home health care that they need, among other measures.

“While we can never fully repay the debt that we owe to veterans for their service to our country, this bipartisan legislation is one way that we can provide more veterans and their families with the support that they have earned and deserve,” said Senator Hassan. “I am glad that we came together on both sides of the aisle to pass into law this bill that will, in particular, help more veterans age with dignity.”

Key parts of Senator Hassan and colleagues’ bipartisan legislation include:

  • The Elizabeth Dole Home Care Act, which Senator Hassan helped introduce, which will, among other measures:
    • Increase veterans’ access to non-institutional alternatives to nursing home care – for instance, in-home health care – by covering these services up to the same rate that nursing home care is covered
    • Create a pilot program for the VA to hire home health aides in areas with a shortage of these critical workers
    • Require the VA to create a one-stop website for home and community-based services
  • A provision of the Love Lives on Act, which Senator Hassan cosponsored, to allow surviving spouses of certain service members who died on duty or because of service-related disabilities to maintain eligibility for education benefits without a time limit, even if they remarry
  • Create a pilot program for the VA to furnish assisted living services for some veterans, including veterans in rural areas
  • Strengthen mental health support for family caregivers
  • Expand access to mobile mammography initiatives and advanced mammography equipment for women veterans
  • Help improve VA services by requiring the VA to train new employees on reporting any wrongdoing that they see, based on the bipartisan Department of Veterans Affairs Office of Inspector General Training Act that Senator Hassan introduced

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