2013 marco rubio vs elizabeth warren.jpg

Sen. Elizabeth Warren, D-Mass., and Sen. Marco Rubio, R-Fla., introduced a bi-partisan amendment to the National Defense Authorization Act on Thursday that aims to help veterans from falling victim to scams targeting their Aid & Attendance benefit.

(Associated Press [file])

WASHINGTON — Despite the fact that Democrats and Republicans seem to agree on very little in Washington these days, two high-profile senators, one from each party, are pitching a piece of legislation that would protect older veterans from becoming victims of scams aiming to steal their rightfully earned benefits.

Sen. Elizabeth Warren, D-Mass., and Sen. Marco Rubio, R-Fla., introduced a bi-partisan amendment to the National Defense Authorization Act on Thursday that aims to help veterans from falling victim to scams targeting their aid & attendance benefit, which helps cover the costs of assisted living or in-home personal care.

According to Warren's office, scammers have targeted veterans by charging them for the benefit even though the application process is free and administered through the department of Veterans Affairs. By compromising the benefit for vets, the con-artist can sometimes take control of a veteran's assets, potentially compromising their eligibility for other programs, like Medicaid.

Some less than above-board nursing homes also lure in veterans by promising that they will qualify for the aid & attendance benefit if they move in, only to find out that their net-worth is too high to qualify. If that denial comes, the nursing facility often demands back payment and ends up absorbing the veteran's assets.

“For thousands of our oldest veterans who need help with basic daily activities, the Aid and Attendance program is a critical lifeline,” Warren said in a statement. “Unfortunately, scams are turning the program into something that can actually undermine the financial security of our older veterans and waste federal funds. This bipartisan proposal will help put an end to these financial scams and ensure that we honor our veterans’ commitment, sacrifice, and service to the nation.”

Rubio, a rising star of the Republican Party, also said veterans deserve better than to be targeted following their service.

“Our veterans have courageously defended our country and protected our freedoms, and they deserve the utmost respect after their service,” Rubio said. “That’s why it is necessary to stop older veterans from being the target of scams and predatory practices. These heroes deserve better, and we will always appreciate their brave service and sacrifice.”

The Veterans Care Financial Protection Act proposed by Warren and Rubio directs the VA to work with state and local agencies to implement standards protecting veterans from dishonest, predatory, or otherwise unlawful practices relating to the benefit. It also directs the Government Accountability Office to conduct a study 18 months after the enactment of the law to determine how well the new standards are in helping protect veterans.

According to Warren and Rubio, the amendment would benefit veterans while not spending additional money or imposing new unfunded mandates. The structure of the proposal is modeled after a section of the 2006 Military Personnel Financial Services Protection Act, which created a similar federal/state partnership to crack down on predatory insurance sales on military installations.

The 2014 National Defense Authorization Act being debated in the U.S. Senate would appropriate around $600 billion in military and defense spending in the upcoming fiscal year. The bill may also tackle issues such as expanding whistle blower protections for members of the military who speak out about wrongdoing and increase care for victims of military sexual assaults and their dependents.