DeLauro Announces Veterans Will Stay at Seacrest Retirement Home

NEW HAVEN, CT (December 30, 2015) — Congresswoman Rosa DeLauro (CT-03) today announced that Connecticut veterans living in the Seacrest Retirement Center and similar facilities are able to remain in the facility, without the threat of losing benefits or care. The change comes as part of the omnibus bill passed by Congress earlier this month.

“Veterans living at Seacrest now have the assurance that they will continue to receive the care they deserve. Forcing these veterans to lose their benefits because of an error that was not their fault would have been wrong, and in some cases may not have been in the best interest of their mental or physical well-being,” said Rosa DeLauro. “After serving our nation, no veteran should ever have to worry about not receiving care, especially in retirement when additional health issues may arise. This legislation gives these veterans the certainty that they deserve, and I applaud Congress for taking action to address this critical issue.”

“On behalf of the men and women who live at Seacrest, and who have protected and defended our country, thank you to Congresswoman DeLauro for working to correct an administrative error by the Veterans Administration,” said Lewis Bower, owner of Seacrest. “We at Seacrest are forever indebted to the veterans that have served our country, and we are privileged to provide them care. The veterans at Seacrest can now live with assurance from the federal government that their care will be provided for as result of this legislation.”

In 2013, 23 veterans at the Seacrest Retirement Center in West Haven, HighVue Manor in Hamden, and Mattatuck Health Care in Waterbury were notified by the VA Connecticut Healthcare System that, due to a VA error, care in these homes has been erroneously covered. The 10 who are being granted another year at Seacrest and HighVue are part of that original group of 23. DeLauro has been working with the VA to ensure that the veterans who would like to stay at Seacrest are able to do so.

Earlier this year, DeLauro introduced the Veterans Residential Care Choice Act, which would allow the VA to pay for eligible veterans to live at residential care facilities, such as Seacrest. However, while the omnibus bill directs the VA to make this payment for veterans currently living at these facilities, DeLauro will continue to push for passage of the Veterans Residential Care Choice Act to ensure that other eligible veterans also receive the same benefit.

The language in the omnibus bill states:Equitable Relief – It is understood that VA is working to implement new systems and protocols to eliminate instances of administrative error. However, as VA enacts system-wide reforms, ending equitable relief for veterans who were deemed eligible for benefits in error would place an unfair burden on veterans and their families. The Secretary is directed to continue to grant or extend equitable relief to eligible veterans initially deemed eligible in instances of administrative error. Not later than April 1, 2016, the Secretary shall submit to the Committees a report containing a statement as to the disposition of each case recommended to the Secretary for equitable relief under 38 U.S.C 503 during the preceding calendar year.

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