S. 635 would specifically list caregiver registries as eligible providers under the Veterans Community Care Program. Caregiver registries are entities that connect clients needing services with independent caregivers who are not employees of the registry. Under current law, the Department of Veterans Affairs (VA) can approve any health care provider for participation in the Community Care Program if it meets criteria established by the department. VA already approves caregiver registries for participation in the program. Thus, CBO expects that implementing S. 635 would not increase the number of participating providers or materially affect program spending.
The bill also would require VA to submit a report to the Congress on the inclusion of caregiver registries as eligible providers under the Veterans Community Care Program. On the basis of information on the costs of similar reporting requirements, CBO estimates that preparing the report would cost less than $500,000 over the 2025-2030 period. Any spending would be subject to the availability of appropriated funds.
The CBO staff contact for this estimate is Noah Callahan. The estimate was reviewed by Christina Hawley Anthony, Deputy Director of Budget Analysis.
