(Alexandria, VA and Washington, DC) – The National Alliance for Care at Home (the Alliance) issued the following statement in response to President Biden signing S. 141, the Senator Elizabeth Dole 21st Century Veterans Healthcare and Benefits Improvement Act, into law on Thursday, January 2. This landmark legislation includes Section 301, Gerald’s Law, which addresses a critical gap in benefits for Veterans. Gerald’s Law ensures that families of terminally-ill Veterans receiving Veterans Affairs (VA)-furnished hospice care—whether at home, in a nursing home, or in another non-VA setting—retain access to their full VA burial allowance.
“We are deeply grateful for the bipartisan support of Gerald’s Law and its inclusion in the Dole Act,” said Dr. Steve Landers, CEO for the Alliance. “This legislation ensures that Veterans and their families can choose hospice care in the setting that best meets their needs without risking the loss of crucial burial benefits. We thank Senators Moran, Tester, and Hassan, Representatives Ciscomani, Bost, Brownley, and Takano, and many others for their leadership, as well as President Biden for signing this important bill into law.”
The Alliance has been a key advocate for this legislation, working to educate congressional offices about the resources required for Veterans needing serious-illness and end-of-life care. Nearly 350,000 Veterans die annually in the United States, with 95 percent dying outside VA facilities. As of 2024, over 3,000 hospice and community partners have committed to providing Veteran-centric care through the Alliance’s We Honor Veterans program. This underscores the ongoing need for equitable benefits for all Veterans, regardless of where they receive care.
For more information on care for Veterans at the end of life, please visit wehonorveterans.org.
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About the National Alliance for Care at Home
The National Alliance for Care at Home (the Alliance) is a new national organization representing providers of home care, home health, hospice, palliative care, and other health care services mainly delivered in the home. The Alliance brings together two organizations with nearly 90 years of combined experience: NAHC and NHPCO. NAHC and NHPCO have combined operations to better serve members and lead into the future of care offered in the home. Learn more at www.AllianceForCareAtHome.org.
Press Contacts
communications@allianceforcareathome.org
Elyssa Katz | 571-281-0220
Thomas Threlkeld | 202-547-7424
