Disabled Veterans Dignity Act of 2026
Sponsored By: Senator Moran, Jerry [R-KS]
In Committee
Summary
Treat bowel and bladder care as essential medical services for veterans with spinal cord injuries by creating a VA Bowel and Bladder Care Program that funds home-based care and pays family and individually employed caregivers a monthly stipend while setting provider qualifications and review rules. This bill would tie payments and caps to VA pay standards and require clinical-driven care decisions and denials reviews.
Your PRIA Score
Personalized for You
How does this bill affect your finances?
Sign up for a PRIA Policy Scan to see your personalized alignment score for this bill and every other piece of legislation we track. We analyze your financial profile against policy provisions to show you exactly what matters to your wallet.
Bill Overview
Analyzed Economic Effects
3 provisions identified: 2 benefits, 0 costs, 1 mixed.
New VA bowel and bladder program
If enacted, the VA would set up a program to provide bowel and bladder care for "covered veterans." Covered veterans would be those enrolled in the VA annual patient enrollment system, who have a spinal cord injury or disorder, and who depend on others for bowel or bladder care while living at home (not in an institution). Care could be provided by a qualified family member, a paid caregiver you hire, or a VA‑contracted home health agency. A veteran medically found to need this care continuously for three years would be treated as needing it for life unless a medical provider later says it is no longer needed. The program would not pay for care if the veteran can perform bowel or bladder functions without help.
Monthly pay for family caregivers, agencies
If enacted, the VA would pay a monthly stipend to family members and individually hired caregivers who provide bowel and bladder care under the program. The VA would also pay contracted home health agencies for that care. The Secretary would set exact stipend amounts based on how much help is provided, but the stipend could not be higher than the fifth step hourly rate for nursing assistants on the General Schedule at the VA facility nearest the veteran. Agency payments could not be higher than VA payment rates under 38 C.F.R. §17.4035 (or successor rules). The Secretary sets the final amounts and caps.
Caregiver training, assessment, and reviews
If enacted, the VA would assess each covered veteran to determine how many hours of bowel and bladder care are needed. Before denying care, the VA would obtain review and concurrence from a designated Spinal Cord Injuries and Disorders Center. Family and individually hired caregivers who want payment would have to provide paperwork and information in VA formats as a condition of payment. The VA would provide required medical training to paid family and individually employed caregivers and set provider qualifications, and it would coordinate with other VA programs to avoid duplicate payments or services.
Sponsors & CoSponsors
Sponsor
Moran, Jerry [R-KS]
KS • R
Cosponsors
There are no cosponsors for this bill.
Roll Call Votes
No roll call votes available for this bill.
View on Congress.gov