Congressman Vicente Gonzalez Urges VA to Reconsider Cuts to In-Home Veteran Health Care
Reductions Threaten Access to Essential Services
Contact: Alexis Torres
Washington, D.C.—Today, Congressman Vicente Gonzalez (TX-34) urged the U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs (VA) Secretary, Douglas Collins, to reverse the recent decision to reduce reimbursement rates for caregivers who provide essential in-home health services to veterans.
In the letter, Congressman Gonzalez states, “I write to express serious concern regarding the 2026 U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs (VA) Fee Schedule, which significantly reduces reimbursement rates for Home Health Aides (G0156) and Homemakers (S5130) in rural parts of Texas. The VA should be removing barriers, not adding additional ones for veterans trying to access the care they need and have earned by bravely serving our country.”
As of January 1, 2026, the VA reduced reimbursement rates for certain in-home care services. The new fee schedule threatens to devastate home care access for veterans, especially those living in the rural communities of Texas and New Mexico, where care is already limited. Specifically, the VA replaced Texas’s tiered locality structure, which considered specific conditions in each town and region, with a single statewide rate for home health aide and homemaker codes. While this change slightly increases fees in five urban and suburban areas, it causes reimbursement rates in rural regions to be cut from $67 to $38 per hour. The VA’s failure to increase reimbursement rates in rural areas will make it much harder to recruit and retain the staff who are needed to operate these essential programs.
The Congressman also notes, “...there are reports that indicate spending on this program decreased also in part due to a drastic reduction of approved hours for Home Health Aides. The reduction in approved hours along with recent changes to the VA Fee Schedule will further alter the lives of our veterans. Aides enable veterans to live with independence and dignity.
“While I understand the desire to simplify the VA Fee Schedule and reduce costs, there are at least 15,000 veterans in Texas who rely on in-home care provided through the VA’s Home Health Aide program and will be negatively impacted by this change,” he continued.
In addition to today’s letter, Congressman Gonzalez also testified before the House Committee on Veterans Affairs in December to advocate for the construction of a VA Medical Center in South Texas and better serve the approximately 50,000 veterans, including 24,000 with service-connected disabilities, in the region.
To read the full letter, click here.