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Core Policy Mechanism Top 2
VA pilot program with pension assistance organizations
Creates a pilot program through 2031 where the Department of Veterans Affairs (VA) contracts with qualified outside organizations to help veterans and surviving spouses apply for Aid and Attendance pension benefits at no cost to claimants.
- Population Scope Low Eligible claimants are veterans and surviving spouses seeking non-service-connected pension benefits in selected Veterans Integrated Services Networks only, a narrow sub-population well under 10% of Americans.
- Budgetary Magnitude Low No specific dollar amount, appropriation, or funding stream is identified; contract costs are unspecified and discretionary.
- Legal / Regulatory Depth Medium Creates a new statutory mandate requiring the Department of Veterans Affairs (VA) to contract with qualified private organizations, imposing binding eligibility criteria and operational obligations on both the agency and participating organizations — a new statutory duty, but limited in scope to a time-bounded pilot rather than a restructuring of permanent law.
- Degree of Discretion Granted Medium The Secretary of Veterans Affairs is required ('shall') to establish the program but retains meaningful discretion in selecting participating networks, setting numerical or geographic limits, and choosing among qualified organizations using a preference standard.
- Implementation & Enforcement Burden Medium Participating organizations must satisfy ten eligibility criteria including VA accreditation, anti-fraud measures, privacy compliance, and conflict-of-interest prohibitions, imposing recurring vetting and oversight obligations on VA.
- Temporal Commitment Low The program authority expires by its own terms on December 31, 2031, self-terminating within roughly seven years without any action by Congress.
No signal yet
Core Policy Mechanism Top 2
Performance measurement and congressional reporting
Requires the VA to collect at least 13 specific performance metrics on the pilot program, compare results against non-pilot claims, and submit reports to Congress at 18 months and within 180 days of program completion.
- Population Scope Low Directly affects only Department of Veterans Affairs (VA) administrators and Congress; indirect effects reach the narrow population of pilot program participants already captured in component 0.
- Budgetary Magnitude Low No appropriation or dollar figure is attached to the reporting and measurement requirements; any administrative costs are absorbed within existing VA operations.
- Legal / Regulatory Depth Medium Imposes new procedural statutory duties on the Secretary of Veterans Affairs — mandatory metric collection, comparative analysis, and timed congressional reports — binding agency conduct without changing substantive eligibility law.
- Degree of Discretion Granted Low Obligations are largely mandatory ('shall'), specifying at least 13 metrics, seven comparative dimensions, and fixed report deadlines, leaving the Secretary of Veterans Affairs little discretion over what to measure or when to report.
- Implementation & Enforcement Burden Low Burden is limited to internal data collection and report preparation; no new enforcement infrastructure, penalties, or third-party compliance requirements are created.
- Temporal Commitment Low Reporting obligations are tied to the pilot program's lifecycle, which expires December 31, 2031, so all duties self-terminate when the program ends.
No signal yet
No possible riders have been surfaced for this bill.
Summary
This bill directs the Department of Veterans Affairs (VA) to create a pilot program that connects veterans and surviving spouses with outside organizations that help them apply for a special pension benefit called Aid and Attendance (A&A). This benefit helps cover the cost of in-home care or assisted living for those who qualify. Among other elements, the bill * creates a pilot program where VA contracts with nonprofit-style pension assistance organizations to guide veterans through the A&A claims process at no cost to the claimant; * sets strict rules for which organizations can participate, including experience requirements, a ban on selling financial products, and VA accreditation; * requires VA to collect detailed data on the program's results, including effects on Medicaid use, and report findings to Congress; * and sunsets the pilot program authority on December 31, 2031.
AI-generated summary, pending human review.
| Version | Event | Date | User support | Your vote | Roll calls |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Original |
Initial publication
Sep 17, 2026
|
Sep 17, 2026 | No votes yet | — | — |
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Core Policy Mechanism Top 2
VA pilot program with pension assistance organizations
Creates a pilot program through 2031 where the Department of Veterans Affairs (VA) contracts with qualified outside organizations to help veterans and surviving spouses apply for Aid and Attendance pension benefits at no cost to claimants.
- Population Scope Low Eligible claimants are veterans and surviving spouses seeking non-service-connected pension benefits in selected Veterans Integrated Services Networks only, a narrow sub-population well under 10% of Americans.
- Budgetary Magnitude Low No specific dollar amount, appropriation, or funding stream is identified; contract costs are unspecified and discretionary.
- Legal / Regulatory Depth Medium Creates a new statutory mandate requiring the Department of Veterans Affairs (VA) to contract with qualified private organizations, imposing binding eligibility criteria and operational obligations on both the agency and participating organizations — a new statutory duty, but limited in scope to a time-bounded pilot rather than a restructuring of permanent law.
- Degree of Discretion Granted Medium The Secretary of Veterans Affairs is required ('shall') to establish the program but retains meaningful discretion in selecting participating networks, setting numerical or geographic limits, and choosing among qualified organizations using a preference standard.
- Implementation & Enforcement Burden Medium Participating organizations must satisfy ten eligibility criteria including VA accreditation, anti-fraud measures, privacy compliance, and conflict-of-interest prohibitions, imposing recurring vetting and oversight obligations on VA.
- Temporal Commitment Low The program authority expires by its own terms on December 31, 2031, self-terminating within roughly seven years without any action by Congress.
No signal yet
Core Policy Mechanism
VA pilot program with pension assistance organizations
Core Policy Mechanism Top 2
Performance measurement and congressional reporting
Requires the VA to collect at least 13 specific performance metrics on the pilot program, compare results against non-pilot claims, and submit reports to Congress at 18 months and within 180 days of program completion.
- Population Scope Low Directly affects only Department of Veterans Affairs (VA) administrators and Congress; indirect effects reach the narrow population of pilot program participants already captured in component 0.
- Budgetary Magnitude Low No appropriation or dollar figure is attached to the reporting and measurement requirements; any administrative costs are absorbed within existing VA operations.
- Legal / Regulatory Depth Medium Imposes new procedural statutory duties on the Secretary of Veterans Affairs — mandatory metric collection, comparative analysis, and timed congressional reports — binding agency conduct without changing substantive eligibility law.
- Degree of Discretion Granted Low Obligations are largely mandatory ('shall'), specifying at least 13 metrics, seven comparative dimensions, and fixed report deadlines, leaving the Secretary of Veterans Affairs little discretion over what to measure or when to report.
- Implementation & Enforcement Burden Low Burden is limited to internal data collection and report preparation; no new enforcement infrastructure, penalties, or third-party compliance requirements are created.
- Temporal Commitment Low Reporting obligations are tied to the pilot program's lifecycle, which expires December 31, 2031, so all duties self-terminate when the program ends.
No signal yet
Core Policy Mechanism
Performance measurement and congressional reporting
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