Health Professional Scholarship Program, 29824-29826 [2019-13382]
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29824
Federal Register / Vol. 84, No. 122 / Tuesday, June 25, 2019 / Proposed Rules
Issued in Des Moines, Washington, on June
18, 2019.
Michael Kaszycki,
Acting Manager, System Oversight Division,
Aircraft Certification Service.
[FR Doc. 2019–13332 Filed 6–24–19; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 4910–13–P
38 CFR Part 17
RIN 2900–AQ62
Health Professional Scholarship
Program
Department of Veterans Affairs.
Proposed rule.
AGENCY:
The Department of Veterans
Affairs (VA) proposes to amend its
regulations that govern the Health
Professional Scholarship Program
(HPSP). This rule would ensure that VA
award not less than 50 HPSP
scholarships each year to students who
are accepted for enrollment or are
enrolled in a program of education or
training that leads to employment as a
physician or dentist until such a date as
VA determines the current staffing
shortage is reduced. This rule would
also expand the number of years of
obligated service that a HPSP
participant would have to serve in VA
in the discipline for which the HPSP
was awarded. This rulemaking would
implement the mandates of the VA
MISSION Act of 2018.
DATES: Comments must be received on
or before August 26, 2019.
ADDRESSES: Written comments may be
submitted through https://
www.Regulations.gov; by mail or handdelivery to: Director, Office of
Regulation Policy and Management
(00REG), Department of Veterans
Affairs, 810 Vermont Ave. NW, Room
1064, Washington, DC 20420; or by fax
to (202) 273–9026. (This is not a toll-free
telephone number.) Comments should
indicate that they are submitted in
response to ‘‘RIN 2900–AQ62-Health
Professional Scholarship Program.’’
Copies of comments received will be
available for public inspection in the
Office of Regulation Policy and
Management, Room 1064, between the
hours of 8 a.m. and 4:30 p.m., Monday
through Friday (except holidays). Please
call (202) 461–4902 for an appointment.
(This is not a toll-free telephone
number.) In addition, during the
comment period, comments may be
viewed online through the Federal
Docket Management System (FDMS) at
https://www.Regulations.gov.
khammond on DSKBBV9HB2PROD with PROPOSALS
SUMMARY:
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20:41 Jun 24, 2019
Nicole Nedd, Director, Scholarships and
Clinical Education. 1250 Poydras Street.
Suite 1000 New Orleans, LA 70113.
Nicole.Nedd@va.gov. (504) 507–4895
(This is not a toll-free number.)
On June 6,
2018, section 301 of Public Law 115–
182, the John S. McCain III, Daniel K.
Akaka, and Samuel R. Johnson VA
Maintaining Internal Systems and
Strengthening Integrated Outside
Networks Act of 2018, or the VA
MISSION Act of 2018, amended title 38
of the United States Code (U.S.C.)
7612(b) and 7617, which govern the
Health Professional Scholarship
Program (HPSP). This program is
regulated under title 38 of the Code of
Federal Regulations (CFR) 17.600
through 17.612. Section 7612(b) of 38
U.S.C. was amended to state that VA
will ensure that not less than 50 HPSP
scholarships are awarded each year to
students who are accepted for
enrollment or are enrolled in a program
of education or training that leads to
employment as a physician or dentist
until such a date as VA determines that
there is a staffing shortage of less than
500 individuals in these health care
professions in VA. The VA MISSION
Act of 2018 further amended section
7612(b) to state that once the staffing
shortage is less than 500 health care
professionals, VA will award HPSP
scholarships each year to not less than
10 percent of the total staffing shortage
of physicians and dentists. Section 7612
was also amended by expanding the
number of years of obligated service that
a participant who pursues a course of
study leading to employment as a
physician or dentist would have to serve
in VA in a discipline for which the
HPSP was awarded. Instead of one year
of obligated service for each school year
or part thereof for which the participant
was awarded a scholarship, the VA
MISSION Act of 2018 amended this
requirement to 18 months of obligated
service for each school or part thereof
for which the participant was awarded
a scholarship. The VA MISSION Act of
2018 also amended 38 U.S.C. 7617 by
adding that a participant has breached
the service agreement if the participant
fails to successfully complete postgraduate training leading to eligibility
for board certification for employment
as a physician. This proposed
rulemaking would implement the
mandates of section 301 of the VA
MISSION Act of 2018 by proposing to
amend 38 CFR 17.603, 17.607, and
17.610 as further described below.
SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION:
DEPARTMENT OF VETERANS
AFFAIRS
ACTION:
FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT:
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17.603 Availability of HPSP
Scholarships
We would amend § 17.603(b) to
comply with the requirements of section
301 of the VA MISSION Act of 2018 by
establishing proposed paragraph (b)(1),
which would state the new priorities for
awarding the HPSP scholarship to
physicians and dentists. Proposed
paragraph (b)(1)(i) would state that VA
would ‘‘award not less than 50 HPSP to
individuals who are accepted for
enrollment or are enrolled in a program
of education or training leading to
employment as a physician or dentist
until such date as VA determines that
the staffing shortage of physicians and
dentists in VA is less than 500.’’ In
proposed paragraph (b)(1)(ii), we would
state that once the staffing shortage of
physicians and dentists is less than 500,
‘‘VA will award HPSP scholarships to
individuals in an amount equal to not
less than ten percent of the staffing
shortage of physicians and dentists in
VA.’’
Current paragraph (b) describes the
qualifying fields of education for which
VA will grant HPSP scholarships. We
would add new paragraph (b)(2) which
would restate current paragraph (b) with
one edit to state that the requirements
of this paragraph would apply to health
care professions other than physicians
or dentists.
17.607
Obligated Service
We propose to amend § 17.607(c)(1)
by adding a new proposed paragraph
(c)(1)(i) and renumbering current
paragraph (c)(1) as proposed paragraph
(c)(1)(ii). Proposed paragraph (c)(1)(i)
would state the duration of the obligated
service for physicians and dentists. This
proposed paragraph would state that ‘‘a
participant who attended school as a
full-time student will agree to serve as
a full-time physician or dentist in the
Veterans Health Administration for 18
months for each school year or part
thereof for which a scholarship was
awarded. This proposed paragraph
would be in accordance with section
301 of the VA MISSION Act of 2018.
Current paragraph (c)(1) describes the
duration of service for full-time and
part-time students. We would add new
paragraph (c)(1)(ii) which would restate
current paragraph (c)(1) with one edit to
distinguish that this paragraph would
apply to health care professions other
than physicians or dentists.
17.610 Failure To Comply With Terms
and Conditions of Participation
We would amend § 17.610 by adding
a new proposed paragraph (b)(4),
redesignating current paragraph (b)(4) as
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Federal Register / Vol. 84, No. 122 / Tuesday, June 25, 2019 / Proposed Rules
proposed (b)(5), and redesignating
current (b)(5) as proposed (b)(6). New
proposed paragraph (b)(4) would add
the new condition for breach of
agreement for a physician as mandated
by section 301 of the VA MISSION Act
of 2018 by stating that if a participant
who ‘‘is enrolled in a program or
education or training leading to
employment as a physician, fails to
successfully complete post-graduate
training leading to eligibility for board
certification in a specialty.’’ No further
edits would be made to § 17.610.
Effect of Rulemaking
The Code of Federal Regulations, as
proposed to be revised by this proposed
rulemaking, would represent the
exclusive legal authority on this subject.
No contrary rules or procedures would
be authorized. All VA guidance would
be read to conform with this proposed
rulemaking if possible or, if not
possible, such guidance would be
superseded by this rulemaking.
Paperwork Reduction Act
This rulemaking does not contain any
provisions constituting collections of
information under the Paperwork
Reduction Act of 1995 (44 U.S.C. 3501–
3521).
khammond on DSKBBV9HB2PROD with PROPOSALS
Regulatory Flexibility Act
The Secretary hereby certifies that
this proposed rule would not have a
significant economic impact on a
substantial number of small entities as
they are defined in the Regulatory
Flexibility Act, 5 U.S.C. 601–612.
Therefore, pursuant to 5 U.S.C. 605(b),
this rulemaking would be exempt from
the initial and final regulatory flexibility
analysis requirements of 5 U.S.C. 603
and 604.
Executive Orders 12866, 13563 and
13771
Executive Orders 12866 and 13563
direct agencies to assess the costs and
benefits of available regulatory
alternatives and, when regulation is
necessary, to select regulatory
approaches that maximize net benefits
(including potential economic,
environmental, public health and safety
effects, and other advantages;
distributive impacts; and equity).
Executive Order 13563 (Improving
Regulation and Regulatory Review)
emphasizes the importance of
quantifying both costs and benefits,
reducing costs, harmonizing rules, and
promoting flexibility. Executive Order
12866 (Regulatory Planning and
Review) defines a ‘‘significant
regulatory action,’’ which requires
review by the Office of Management and
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20:41 Jun 24, 2019
Jkt 247001
Budget (OMB), as ‘‘any regulatory action
that is likely to result in a rule that may:
(1) Have an annual effect on the
economy of $100 million or more or
adversely affect in a material way the
economy, a sector of the economy,
productivity, competition, jobs, the
environment, public health or safety, or
State, local, or tribal governments or
communities; (2) Create a serious
inconsistency or otherwise interfere
with an action taken or planned by
another agency; (3) Materially alter the
budgetary impact of entitlements,
grants, user fees, or loan programs or the
rights and obligations of recipients
thereof; or (4) Raise novel legal or policy
issues arising out of legal mandates, the
President’s priorities, or the principles
set forth in this Executive Order.’’
VA has examined the economic,
interagency, budgetary, legal, and policy
implications of this regulatory action
and determined that the action is not a
significant regulatory action under
Executive Order 12866. VA’s impact
analysis can be found as a supporting
document at https://
www.regulations.gov, usually within 48
hours after the rulemaking document is
published. Additionally, a copy of the
rulemaking and its impact analysis are
available on VA’s website at https://
www.va.gov/orpm by following the link
for VA Regulations Published from FY
2004 through FYTD.
This proposed rule is not expected to
be an E.O. 13771 regulatory action
because this proposed rule is not
significant under E.O. 12866.
Unfunded Mandates
The Unfunded Mandates Reform Act
of 1995 requires, at 2 U.S.C. 1532, that
agencies prepare an assessment of
anticipated costs and benefits before
issuing any rule that may result in the
expenditure by State, local, and tribal
governments, in the aggregate, or by the
private sector, of $100 million or more
(adjusted annually for inflation) in any
one year. This proposed rule would
have no such effect on State, local, and
tribal governments, or on the private
sector.
Catalog of Federal Domestic Assistance
There are no Catalog of Federal
Domestic Assistance numbers and titles
for this rule.
List of Subjects in 38 CFR Part 17
Administrative practice and
procedure, Alcohol abuse, Alcoholism,
Claims, Day care, Dental health, Drug
abuse, Foreign relations, Government
contracts, Grant programs—health,
Grant programs—veterans, Health care,
Health facilities, Health professions,
PO 00000
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29825
Health records, Homeless, Medical and
dental schools, Medical devices,
Medical research, Mental health
programs, Nursing homes, Philippines,
Reporting and recordkeeping
requirements, Scholarships and
fellowships, Travel and transportation
expenses, Veterans.
Signing Authority
The Secretary of Veterans Affairs, or
designee, approved this document and
authorized the undersigned to sign and
submit the document to the Office of the
Federal Register for publication
electronically as an official document of
the Department of Veterans Affairs.
Robert L. Wilkie, Secretary, Department
of Veterans Affairs, approved this
document on May 31, 2019, for
publication.
Dated: June 19, 2019.
Consuela Benjamin,
Regulations Development Coordinator, Office
of Regulation Policy & Management, Office
of the Secretary, Department of Veterans
Affairs.
For the reasons set forth in the
preamble, we propose to amend 38 CFR
part 17 as follows:
PART 17—MEDICAL
1. The authority citation for part 17
continues to read as follows:
■
Authority: 38 U.S.C. 501, and as noted in
specific sections.
*
*
*
*
*
2. Amend § 17.603 by revising
paragraph (b) to read as follows:
■
§ 17.603
Availability of HPSP scholarships.
*
*
*
*
*
(b) Qualifying fields of education. (1)
Physicians and dentists. (i) VA will
award not less than 50 HPSP
scholarships each year to individuals
who are accepted for enrollment or are
enrolled in a program of education or
training leading to employment as a
physician or dentist until such date as
VA determines that the staffing shortage
of physicians and dentists in VA is less
than 500.
(ii) Once the staffing shortage of
physicians and dentists is less than 500,
VA will award HPSP scholarships to
individuals in an amount equal to not
less than ten percent of the staffing
shortage of physicians and dentists in
VA.
(2) Other health care professions. VA
will grant HPSP scholarships in a course
of study in those disciplines or
programs other than physician or
dentist where recruitment is necessary
for the improvement of health care of
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Federal Register / Vol. 84, No. 122 / Tuesday, June 25, 2019 / Proposed Rules
veterans as listed in 38 U.S.C. 7401(1)
and (3).
*
*
*
*
*
■ 3. Amend § 17.607 by revising
paragraph (c)(1) to read as follows.
§ 17.607
Obligated service.
*
*
*
*
*
(c) Duration of service. (1) Full-time
student. (i) Physician or dentist. A
participant who attended school as a
full-time student will agree to serve as
a full-time physician or dentist in the
Veterans Health Administration for 18
months for each school year or part
thereof for which a scholarship was
awarded.
(ii) Other health care profession. A
participant who attended school as a
full-time student in a health care
profession other than physician or
dentist will agree to serve as a full-time
clinical employee in the Veterans
Health Administration for 1 calendar
year for each school year or part thereof
for which a scholarship was awarded,
but for no less than 2 years.
*
*
*
*
*
■ 4. Amend § 17.610 by:
■ a. Redesignating paragraphs (b)(4) and
(b)(5) as paragraphs (b)(5) and (b)(6).
■ b. Adding a new paragraph (b)(4).
The addition to read as follows:
§ 17.610 Failure to comply with terms and
conditions of participation.
*
*
*
*
*
(b) * * *
(4) Who is enrolled in a program or
education or training leading to
employment as a physician, fails to
successfully complete post-graduate
training leading to eligibility for board
certification in a specialty.
*
*
*
*
*
[FR Doc. 2019–13382 Filed 6–24–19; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 8320–01–P
ENVIRONMENTAL PROTECTION
AGENCY
40 CFR Part 52
khammond on DSKBBV9HB2PROD with PROPOSALS
[EPA–R07–OAR–2019–0334; FRL–9995–33–
Region 7]
Air Plan Approval; Missouri;
Infrastructure State Implementation
Plan Requirements for the 2015 Ozone
National Ambient Air Quality Standard
Environmental Protection
Agency (EPA).
ACTION: Proposed rule.
AGENCY:
The Environmental Protection
Agency (EPA) is proposing to approve
elements of a State Implementation Plan
(SIP) revision submission from the State
SUMMARY:
VerDate Sep<11>2014
20:41 Jun 24, 2019
Jkt 247001
of Missouri addressing the applicable
requirements of section 110 of the Clean
Air Act (CAA) for the 2015 Ozone (O3)
National Ambient Air Quality Standard
(NAAQS). Section 110 requires that
each state adopt and submit a SIP
revision to support the implementation,
maintenance, and enforcement of each
new or revised NAAQS promulgated by
the EPA. These SIPs are commonly
referred to as ‘‘infrastructure’’ SIPs. The
infrastructure requirements are designed
to ensure that the structural components
of each state’s air quality management
program are adequate to meet the state’s
responsibilities under the CAA. The
EPA is also proposing to approve a
request from the state to exempt all
counties in the Metropolitan Kansas
City Interstate Air Quality Control
Region (AQCR) and all of Jefferson and
most of Franklin (except Boles
Township) counties in the Metropolitan
St. Louis Interstate AQCR from needing
an ozone contingency plan meeting the
requirements of our regulations.
DATES: Comments must be received on
or before July 25, 2019.
ADDRESSES: You may send comments,
identified by Docket ID No. EPA–R07–
OAR–2019–0334 to https://
www.regulations.gov. Follow the online
instructions for submitting comments.
Instructions: All submissions received
must include the Docket ID No. for this
rulemaking. Comments received will be
posted without change to https://
www.regulations.gov/, including any
personal information provided. For
detailed instructions on sending
comments and additional information
on the rulemaking process, see the
‘‘Written Comments’’ heading of the
SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION section of
this document.
FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: Mrs.
Tracey Casburn Environmental
Protection Agency, Region 7 Office, Air
Quality Planning Branch, 11201 Renner
Boulevard, Lenexa, Kansas 66219;
telephone number (913) 551–7016;
email address casburn.tracey@epa.gov.
SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION:
Throughout this document ‘‘we,’’ ‘‘us,’’
and ‘‘our’’ refer to the EPA. A technical
support document (TSD) is included in
this proposed rulemaking docket.
Table of Contents
I. Written Comments
II. What is being addressed in this document?
III. Have the requirements for approval of a
sip revision been met?
IV. What action is the EPA taking?
V. Statutory and Executive Order Reviews
I. Written Comments
Submit your comments, identified by
Docket ID No. EPA–R07–OAR–2019–
PO 00000
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Fmt 4702
Sfmt 4702
0334, at https://www.regulations.gov.
Once submitted, comments cannot be
edited or removed from Regulations.gov.
The EPA may publish any comment
received to its public docket. Do not
submit electronically any information
you consider to be Confidential
Business Information (CBI) or other
information whose disclosure is
restricted by statute. Multimedia
submissions (audio, video, etc.) must be
accompanied by a written comment.
The written comment is considered the
official comment and should include
discussion of all points you wish to
make. The EPA will generally not
consider comments or comment
contents located outside of the primary
submission (i.e. on the web, cloud, or
other file sharing system). For
additional submission methods, the full
EPA public comment policy,
information about CBI or multimedia
submissions, and general guidance on
making effective comments, please visit
https://www.epa.gov/dockets/
commenting-epa-dockets.
II. What is being addressed in this
document?
The EPA is proposing to approve the
infrastructure SIP submission received
from the state on April 11, 2019, in
accordance with section 110(a)(1) of the
CAA. Specifically, the EPA is proposing
to approve the following infrastructure
elements of section 110(a)(2) of the
CAA: (A) through (C), (D)(i)(II)- prevent
significant deterioration of air quality
(prong 3) and protection of visibility
(prong 4), (D)(ii), (E) through (H), and (J)
through (M). Elements of section
110(a)(2)(D)(i)(I)—significant
contribution to nonattainment (prong 1)
and interfering with maintenance of the
NAAQs (prong 2) were not addressed in
the submission. The state has provided
public notice of a SIP revision
addressing prongs 1 and 2, and the EPA
expects to receive that submission from
the state later. Section 110(a)(2)(I) was
also not addressed in the submission,
however, the EPA does not expect
infrastructure SIP submissions to
address element (I). Section 110(a)(2)(I)
requires states to meet the applicable
SIP requirements of part D of the CAA
relating to designated nonattainment
areas. The specific part D submissions
for designated nonattainment areas are
subject to different submission
schedules than those for section 110
infrastructure elements. The EPA will
act on part D attainment plan SIP
submissions through a separate
rulemaking governed by the
requirements for nonattainment areas,
as described in part D.
E:\FR\FM\25JNP1.SGM
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Agencies
[Federal Register Volume 84, Number 122 (Tuesday, June 25, 2019)]
[Proposed Rules]
[Pages 29824-29826]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 2019-13382]
=======================================================================
-----------------------------------------------------------------------
DEPARTMENT OF VETERANS AFFAIRS
38 CFR Part 17
RIN 2900-AQ62
Health Professional Scholarship Program
AGENCY: Department of Veterans Affairs.
ACTION: Proposed rule.
-----------------------------------------------------------------------
SUMMARY: The Department of Veterans Affairs (VA) proposes to amend its
regulations that govern the Health Professional Scholarship Program
(HPSP). This rule would ensure that VA award not less than 50 HPSP
scholarships each year to students who are accepted for enrollment or
are enrolled in a program of education or training that leads to
employment as a physician or dentist until such a date as VA determines
the current staffing shortage is reduced. This rule would also expand
the number of years of obligated service that a HPSP participant would
have to serve in VA in the discipline for which the HPSP was awarded.
This rulemaking would implement the mandates of the VA MISSION Act of
2018.
DATES: Comments must be received on or before August 26, 2019.
ADDRESSES: Written comments may be submitted through https://www.Regulations.gov; by mail or hand-delivery to: Director, Office of
Regulation Policy and Management (00REG), Department of Veterans
Affairs, 810 Vermont Ave. NW, Room 1064, Washington, DC 20420; or by
fax to (202) 273-9026. (This is not a toll-free telephone number.)
Comments should indicate that they are submitted in response to ``RIN
2900-AQ62-Health Professional Scholarship Program.'' Copies of comments
received will be available for public inspection in the Office of
Regulation Policy and Management, Room 1064, between the hours of 8
a.m. and 4:30 p.m., Monday through Friday (except holidays). Please
call (202) 461-4902 for an appointment. (This is not a toll-free
telephone number.) In addition, during the comment period, comments may
be viewed online through the Federal Docket Management System (FDMS) at
https://www.Regulations.gov.
FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: Nicole Nedd, Director, Scholarships
and Clinical Education. 1250 Poydras Street. Suite 1000 New Orleans, LA
70113. [email protected]. (504) 507-4895 (This is not a toll-free
number.)
SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: On June 6, 2018, section 301 of Public Law
115-182, the John S. McCain III, Daniel K. Akaka, and Samuel R. Johnson
VA Maintaining Internal Systems and Strengthening Integrated Outside
Networks Act of 2018, or the VA MISSION Act of 2018, amended title 38
of the United States Code (U.S.C.) 7612(b) and 7617, which govern the
Health Professional Scholarship Program (HPSP). This program is
regulated under title 38 of the Code of Federal Regulations (CFR)
17.600 through 17.612. Section 7612(b) of 38 U.S.C. was amended to
state that VA will ensure that not less than 50 HPSP scholarships are
awarded each year to students who are accepted for enrollment or are
enrolled in a program of education or training that leads to employment
as a physician or dentist until such a date as VA determines that there
is a staffing shortage of less than 500 individuals in these health
care professions in VA. The VA MISSION Act of 2018 further amended
section 7612(b) to state that once the staffing shortage is less than
500 health care professionals, VA will award HPSP scholarships each
year to not less than 10 percent of the total staffing shortage of
physicians and dentists. Section 7612 was also amended by expanding the
number of years of obligated service that a participant who pursues a
course of study leading to employment as a physician or dentist would
have to serve in VA in a discipline for which the HPSP was awarded.
Instead of one year of obligated service for each school year or part
thereof for which the participant was awarded a scholarship, the VA
MISSION Act of 2018 amended this requirement to 18 months of obligated
service for each school or part thereof for which the participant was
awarded a scholarship. The VA MISSION Act of 2018 also amended 38
U.S.C. 7617 by adding that a participant has breached the service
agreement if the participant fails to successfully complete post-
graduate training leading to eligibility for board certification for
employment as a physician. This proposed rulemaking would implement the
mandates of section 301 of the VA MISSION Act of 2018 by proposing to
amend 38 CFR 17.603, 17.607, and 17.610 as further described below.
17.603 Availability of HPSP Scholarships
We would amend Sec. 17.603(b) to comply with the requirements of
section 301 of the VA MISSION Act of 2018 by establishing proposed
paragraph (b)(1), which would state the new priorities for awarding the
HPSP scholarship to physicians and dentists. Proposed paragraph
(b)(1)(i) would state that VA would ``award not less than 50 HPSP to
individuals who are accepted for enrollment or are enrolled in a
program of education or training leading to employment as a physician
or dentist until such date as VA determines that the staffing shortage
of physicians and dentists in VA is less than 500.'' In proposed
paragraph (b)(1)(ii), we would state that once the staffing shortage of
physicians and dentists is less than 500, ``VA will award HPSP
scholarships to individuals in an amount equal to not less than ten
percent of the staffing shortage of physicians and dentists in VA.''
Current paragraph (b) describes the qualifying fields of education
for which VA will grant HPSP scholarships. We would add new paragraph
(b)(2) which would restate current paragraph (b) with one edit to state
that the requirements of this paragraph would apply to health care
professions other than physicians or dentists.
17.607 Obligated Service
We propose to amend Sec. 17.607(c)(1) by adding a new proposed
paragraph (c)(1)(i) and renumbering current paragraph (c)(1) as
proposed paragraph (c)(1)(ii). Proposed paragraph (c)(1)(i) would state
the duration of the obligated service for physicians and dentists. This
proposed paragraph would state that ``a participant who attended school
as a full-time student will agree to serve as a full-time physician or
dentist in the Veterans Health Administration for 18 months for each
school year or part thereof for which a scholarship was awarded. This
proposed paragraph would be in accordance with section 301 of the VA
MISSION Act of 2018.
Current paragraph (c)(1) describes the duration of service for
full-time and part-time students. We would add new paragraph (c)(1)(ii)
which would restate current paragraph (c)(1) with one edit to
distinguish that this paragraph would apply to health care professions
other than physicians or dentists.
17.610 Failure To Comply With Terms and Conditions of Participation
We would amend Sec. 17.610 by adding a new proposed paragraph
(b)(4), redesignating current paragraph (b)(4) as
[[Page 29825]]
proposed (b)(5), and redesignating current (b)(5) as proposed (b)(6).
New proposed paragraph (b)(4) would add the new condition for breach of
agreement for a physician as mandated by section 301 of the VA MISSION
Act of 2018 by stating that if a participant who ``is enrolled in a
program or education or training leading to employment as a physician,
fails to successfully complete post-graduate training leading to
eligibility for board certification in a specialty.'' No further edits
would be made to Sec. 17.610.
Effect of Rulemaking
The Code of Federal Regulations, as proposed to be revised by this
proposed rulemaking, would represent the exclusive legal authority on
this subject. No contrary rules or procedures would be authorized. All
VA guidance would be read to conform with this proposed rulemaking if
possible or, if not possible, such guidance would be superseded by this
rulemaking.
Paperwork Reduction Act
This rulemaking does not contain any provisions constituting
collections of information under the Paperwork Reduction Act of 1995
(44 U.S.C. 3501-3521).
Regulatory Flexibility Act
The Secretary hereby certifies that this proposed rule would not
have a significant economic impact on a substantial number of small
entities as they are defined in the Regulatory Flexibility Act, 5
U.S.C. 601-612. Therefore, pursuant to 5 U.S.C. 605(b), this rulemaking
would be exempt from the initial and final regulatory flexibility
analysis requirements of 5 U.S.C. 603 and 604.
Executive Orders 12866, 13563 and 13771
Executive Orders 12866 and 13563 direct agencies to assess the
costs and benefits of available regulatory alternatives and, when
regulation is necessary, to select regulatory approaches that maximize
net benefits (including potential economic, environmental, public
health and safety effects, and other advantages; distributive impacts;
and equity). Executive Order 13563 (Improving Regulation and Regulatory
Review) emphasizes the importance of quantifying both costs and
benefits, reducing costs, harmonizing rules, and promoting flexibility.
Executive Order 12866 (Regulatory Planning and Review) defines a
``significant regulatory action,'' which requires review by the Office
of Management and Budget (OMB), as ``any regulatory action that is
likely to result in a rule that may: (1) Have an annual effect on the
economy of $100 million or more or adversely affect in a material way
the economy, a sector of the economy, productivity, competition, jobs,
the environment, public health or safety, or State, local, or tribal
governments or communities; (2) Create a serious inconsistency or
otherwise interfere with an action taken or planned by another agency;
(3) Materially alter the budgetary impact of entitlements, grants, user
fees, or loan programs or the rights and obligations of recipients
thereof; or (4) Raise novel legal or policy issues arising out of legal
mandates, the President's priorities, or the principles set forth in
this Executive Order.''
VA has examined the economic, interagency, budgetary, legal, and
policy implications of this regulatory action and determined that the
action is not a significant regulatory action under Executive Order
12866. VA's impact analysis can be found as a supporting document at
https://www.regulations.gov, usually within 48 hours after the
rulemaking document is published. Additionally, a copy of the
rulemaking and its impact analysis are available on VA's website at
https://www.va.gov/orpm by following the link for VA Regulations
Published from FY 2004 through FYTD.
This proposed rule is not expected to be an E.O. 13771 regulatory
action because this proposed rule is not significant under E.O. 12866.
Unfunded Mandates
The Unfunded Mandates Reform Act of 1995 requires, at 2 U.S.C.
1532, that agencies prepare an assessment of anticipated costs and
benefits before issuing any rule that may result in the expenditure by
State, local, and tribal governments, in the aggregate, or by the
private sector, of $100 million or more (adjusted annually for
inflation) in any one year. This proposed rule would have no such
effect on State, local, and tribal governments, or on the private
sector.
Catalog of Federal Domestic Assistance
There are no Catalog of Federal Domestic Assistance numbers and
titles for this rule.
List of Subjects in 38 CFR Part 17
Administrative practice and procedure, Alcohol abuse, Alcoholism,
Claims, Day care, Dental health, Drug abuse, Foreign relations,
Government contracts, Grant programs--health, Grant programs--veterans,
Health care, Health facilities, Health professions, Health records,
Homeless, Medical and dental schools, Medical devices, Medical
research, Mental health programs, Nursing homes, Philippines, Reporting
and recordkeeping requirements, Scholarships and fellowships, Travel
and transportation expenses, Veterans.
Signing Authority
The Secretary of Veterans Affairs, or designee, approved this
document and authorized the undersigned to sign and submit the document
to the Office of the Federal Register for publication electronically as
an official document of the Department of Veterans Affairs. Robert L.
Wilkie, Secretary, Department of Veterans Affairs, approved this
document on May 31, 2019, for publication.
Dated: June 19, 2019.
Consuela Benjamin,
Regulations Development Coordinator, Office of Regulation Policy &
Management, Office of the Secretary, Department of Veterans Affairs.
For the reasons set forth in the preamble, we propose to amend 38
CFR part 17 as follows:
PART 17--MEDICAL
0
1. The authority citation for part 17 continues to read as follows:
Authority: 38 U.S.C. 501, and as noted in specific sections.
* * * * *
0
2. Amend Sec. 17.603 by revising paragraph (b) to read as follows:
Sec. 17.603 Availability of HPSP scholarships.
* * * * *
(b) Qualifying fields of education. (1) Physicians and dentists.
(i) VA will award not less than 50 HPSP scholarships each year to
individuals who are accepted for enrollment or are enrolled in a
program of education or training leading to employment as a physician
or dentist until such date as VA determines that the staffing shortage
of physicians and dentists in VA is less than 500.
(ii) Once the staffing shortage of physicians and dentists is less
than 500, VA will award HPSP scholarships to individuals in an amount
equal to not less than ten percent of the staffing shortage of
physicians and dentists in VA.
(2) Other health care professions. VA will grant HPSP scholarships
in a course of study in those disciplines or programs other than
physician or dentist where recruitment is necessary for the improvement
of health care of
[[Page 29826]]
veterans as listed in 38 U.S.C. 7401(1) and (3).
* * * * *
0
3. Amend Sec. 17.607 by revising paragraph (c)(1) to read as follows.
Sec. 17.607 Obligated service.
* * * * *
(c) Duration of service. (1) Full-time student. (i) Physician or
dentist. A participant who attended school as a full-time student will
agree to serve as a full-time physician or dentist in the Veterans
Health Administration for 18 months for each school year or part
thereof for which a scholarship was awarded.
(ii) Other health care profession. A participant who attended
school as a full-time student in a health care profession other than
physician or dentist will agree to serve as a full-time clinical
employee in the Veterans Health Administration for 1 calendar year for
each school year or part thereof for which a scholarship was awarded,
but for no less than 2 years.
* * * * *
0
4. Amend Sec. 17.610 by:
0
a. Redesignating paragraphs (b)(4) and (b)(5) as paragraphs (b)(5) and
(b)(6).
0
b. Adding a new paragraph (b)(4).
The addition to read as follows:
Sec. 17.610 Failure to comply with terms and conditions of
participation.
* * * * *
(b) * * *
(4) Who is enrolled in a program or education or training leading
to employment as a physician, fails to successfully complete post-
graduate training leading to eligibility for board certification in a
specialty.
* * * * *
[FR Doc. 2019-13382 Filed 6-24-19; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 8320-01-P