Department of Veterans Affairs November 28, 2006 – Federal Register Recent Federal Regulation Documents

The Veterans Benefits Administration (VBA), Department of Veterans Affairs (VA), is announcing an opportunity for public comment on the proposed collection of certain information by the agency. Under the Paperwork Reduction Act (PRA) of 1995, Federal agencies are required to publish notice in the Federal Register concerning each proposed collection of information, including each proposed extension of a currently approved collection and allow 60 days for public comment in response to the notice. This notice solicits comments on the information needed to verify whether a veteran's child between the ages of 18 and 23 years old is attending school.

This document adopts as a final rule the proposed rule amending the Department of Veterans Affairs (VA) medical regulations on informed consent. This final rule extends the period of time during which a signed consent form remains valid from 30 to 60 days and eliminates the requirement that a third-party witness the patient or surrogate and practitioner signing the consent form, except in those circumstances where the patient or surrogate signs with an ``X'' due to a debilitating illness or disability, i.e., significant physical impairment and/or difficulty in executing a signature due to an underlying health condition(s), or is unable to read and write.