Disabled Veterans Dignity Act of 2026

Key Points

• The VA would create a new program specifically for veterans with spinal cord injuries who depend on others for bowel and bladder care while living at home. This care is critical for preventing dangerous complications like autonomic dysreflexia, which can be life-threatening.
• Veterans could choose to receive this care from a family member, a hired caregiver, or a home health agency. The VA would train family members and individually employed caregivers and pay them a monthly stipend based on the amount and degree of help they provide.
• Family caregivers and individually hired caregivers would not be treated as vendors or contractors under this program. Congress expressed that these caregivers should not face self-employment taxes for providing this care.
• After three continuous years of needing this care, a veteran would be automatically considered to need it for life. This eliminates repeated reviews and bureaucratic hurdles unless a doctor decides the care is no longer necessary.
• Before the VA can deny bowel and bladder care to any eligible veteran, a specialized Spinal Cord Injuries and Disorders Center must review and agree with the denial. Each veteran also gets an individualized assessment to determine the number of care hours they need.