CATS (Caregiver Application Tracking
System) and PATS (Patient Advocate
Tracking System) are NON-medical records completed by Caregiver Support
Coordinators and Patient Advocates respectively. The information contained is often used for program
re-evaluations, continuing eligibility, and sometimes reflect different
information than the medical records.
Without this information, you lack the capability to review for
accuracy, correct errors, and understand the full picture.
We have concerns. CATS
and PATS were not openly disclosed and found only from patterns discerned
through thousands of seemingly illogical caregiver decisions. VACO has confirmed these records, and acknowledged in writing that both
CATS and PATS usage will continue. Once these
non-medical databases became known and caregivers submitted requests (only
available through FOIA requests, or Freedom of Information Requests), there
have seemingly been deletions from the records, and apparent removal of
information that may have assisted in reversing Caregiver Program decisions for
Tier Reduction or Program Termination.
Starting the process means a Freedom of Information Request
(FOIA) to your local VAMC staff outlined below.
To obtain these records, there is no form, and we suggest language
similar to:
TO: Privacy
Officer, VA Medical Center __________ (name)
CC: VA
Medical Center Director ___________ (name)
FROM: VA Caregiver ___________________ (name)
Veteran _____________
(name) _____ (last 4 of SS#)
RE: FOIA REQUEST FOR CATS AND PATS
RECORDS
(Caregiver Application Tracking System
and Patient Advocate Tracking System Records)
Dear
Sir or Madam,
This
request is for specific records needed to respond to an appeal/eligibility to
the VA Program of Comprehensive Assistance for Family Caregivers (PCAFC).
Our deadline for appeal is ___________ (date).
We
are requesting unchanged, unmodified, non-redacted, and complete CATS
(Caregiver Application Tracking System) and PATS (Patient Advocate Tracking
System) records from date of application __________ (month and year) to the VA
Caregiver Program through today _________ (date) for Caregiver _____________
(name) of Veteran ___________ (name), last four of SS# ____.” This
information is critical to our timely documentation submission.
Thank
you for your prompt response.
Very respectfully,
CG
name and signature
Veteran
name and signature
Submit this
request to the Privacy Officer (or FOIA Officer at some centers) at your local VAMC
and keep copies for yourself, noting the date and time of submission, the
person submitted to, and any notes of conversations. If you receive a response saying it will be
an lengthy time period, exceeding your need for the information to appeal, provide
a copy to your Caregiver Support Coordinator, their Supervisor, and request an
extension of the appeal period in writing.
Once records
are received, review them carefully with the Veteran’s medical records for
accuracy. If there are errors, you must
submit a line-by-line correction document, along with documentation (if
available) requesting record corrections.
Submit these to the same Privacy Officer for submission and ask
timelines. Check for confirmation of
this information.
There are
further steps you may need to make, but please not only obtain these documents,
but also document every single step in the ADL’s and Supervision/Protection
provisions for program eligibility. For
those pre-9/11 veterans anticipating application into the program, do this
documentation now, in advance, and be prepared to follow the same eligibility
requirements.
We hope this
information is helpful, and if you’re working with an advocate, cc them on the
memorandum also. If this process
changes, we will let you know, and meanwhile, knowledge is invaluable, and
sharing it with others is as well.
We recommend
you print this blog posting and wish you the best of success.
Best to you,
Linda Kreter
and the VeteranCaregiver Team
