Cartwright’s bill to protect veterans passes House
A bill, which he introduced, passed this week in the
"I'm very happy to announce this morning we secured bipartisan passage, in the House, next the
The bill calls on the
The impetus for the bill was the abuse of an Aid & Attendance benefit for veterans who qualify for a
"Unfortunately, what has come to our attention is there is a number of unscrupulous actors who are aware of this benefit and (use it) to prey upon our older veterans' vulnerability," Cartwright said.
While the A&A application is free, scam artists have offered advice and help to veterans with the application process and charged them fees. Cartwright said that he was aware of a case where the victim paid
"It doesn't cost anything to sign up for this benefit," Cartwright said, adding that if someone needs help with an application, they can find it with the
The pecuniary predation goes further than that, however. With the information gained from the application process, scammers can take a hold of the veteran's assets, and may even move them into an irrevocable trust or an annuity. This movement of assets may also disqualify the veteran from other assistance, such as Medicaid.
"This is the last thing we want to see happen to our American heroes," Cartwright said.
The bill itself does not impose any measures, but requires the
Asked if the standards could impose penalties and fines, Cartwright said, "I would envision both of those things coming into play."
He did not know how often the scams occur, the bill having originated in the
The bill was passed Monday unanimously in the House and Cartwright, confident of passage in the
"Scam artists are turning well-deserved benefits into a financial nightmare for those who can least afford it," he said. "This bipartisan, commonsense proposal will help protect veterans from financial scams. We owe this to our nation's heroes. I look forward to working with my colleagues in the
Cartwright represents the state's
Contact the writer: [email protected]; 570-628-6005
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