Findings

Congress finds the following: (1) Many veterans and surviving spouses who may be eligible for pension benefits and allowances for aid and attendance under chapter 15 of title 38, United States Code, are unaware of such benefits or encounter significant barriers in determining eligibility. (2) Claims for pension benefits and allowances for aid and attendance frequently require extensive medical, financial, caregiving, and long-term care documentation. (3) Incomplete or insufficiently developed claims may contribute to delays in adjudication and may limit timely access to benefits and long-term care services for eligible veterans and surviving spouses. (4) Organizations with demonstrated expertise in pension and aid and attendance benefits may assist claimants in developing complete applications and supporting documentation prior to submission to the Department of Veterans Affairs. (5) Organizations with extensive demonstrated experience assisting veterans and surviving spouses with non-service-connected pension benefits and aid and attendance claims may possess specialized operational expertise that can improve claimant continuity, evidentiary completeness, and access to earned benefits. (6) Partnerships between the Department of Veterans Affairs and qualified pension assistance organizations may improve claimant access to benefits, enhance claim development, reduce administrative burdens, and improve program outcomes. (7) Timely access to pension benefits and aid and attendance allowances may assist eligible veterans and surviving spouses in obtaining necessary long-term care services and may reduce reliance upon Medicaid-funded long-term care services and other public assistance programs. (8) It is in the interest of Congress to evaluate whether partnerships with qualified pension assistance organizations improve claimant outcomes, increase access to earned benefits, improve administrative efficiency, and reduce reliance on Medicaid-funded long-term care services.