Department of Veterans Affairs December 2008 – Federal Register Recent Federal Regulation Documents

This document amends Department of Veterans Affairs (VA) regulations to reflect increases effective for fiscal years 2005, 2006, 2007, 2008, and 2009, respectively, in the monthly rates payable under the Survivors' and Dependents' Educational Assistance (DEA) program in accordance with statutory requirements and previously established formulas; a change in the formula used to calculate entitlement charges for individuals pursuing apprenticeship or other on-job training in accordance with the Veterans Benefits Improvement Act of 2004; and nonsubstantive changes for the purpose of clarity and to reflect agency organization.

This document proposes to amend the Department of Veterans Affairs (VA) Informed Consent regulations to update requirements concerning testing for Human Immunodeficiency Virus (HIV) so that they are consistent with the Veterans' Mental Health and Other Care Improvements Act of 2008, which repealed provisions that had been enacted in 2003.

In compliance with the Paperwork Reduction Act (PRA) of 1995 (44 U.S.C. 3501-3521), this notice announces that the Veterans Benefits Administration (VBA), Department of Veterans Affairs, will submit the collection of information abstracted below to the Office of Management and Budget (OMB) for review and comment. The PRA submission describes the nature of the information collection and its expected cost and burden; it includes the actual data collection instrument.

In compliance with the Paperwork Reduction Act (PRA) of 1995 (44 U.S.C. 3501-3521), this notice announces that the Veterans Health Administration (VHA), Department of Veterans Affairs, will submit the collection of information abstracted below to the Office of Management and Budget (OMB) for review and comment. The PRA submission describes the nature of the information collection and its expected cost and burden and includes the actual data collection instrument.

In compliance with the Paperwork Reduction Act (PRA) of 1995 (44 U.S.C. 3501-21), this notice announces that the Veterans Health Administration (VHA), Department of Veterans Affairs, will submit the collection of information abstracted below to the Office of Management and Budget (OMB) for review and comment. The PRA submission describes the nature of the information collection and its expected cost and burden and includes the actual data collection instrument.

In compliance with the Paperwork Reduction Act (PRA) of 1995 (44 U.S.C. 3501-3521), this notice announces that the Board of Veterans' Appeals (BVA), Department of Veterans Affairs, will submit the collection of information abstracted below to the Office of Management and Budget (OMB) for review and comment. The PRA submission describes the nature of the information collection and its expected cost and burden; it includes the actual data collection instrument.

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 currently approved collection, and allow 60 days for public comment in response to the notice. This notice solicits comments for information needed to determine the amount of educational benefits payable to claimants pursuing approved programs of education.

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 for information needed to determine whether lenders computed the loan amount on interest rate reduction refinancing loans properly.

In compliance with the Paperwork Reduction Act (PRA) of 1995 (44 U.S.C. 3501-3521), this notice announces that the Veterans Benefits Administration (VBA), Department of Veterans Affairs, will submit the collection of information abstracted below to the Office of Management and Budget (OMB) for review and comment. The PRA submission describes the nature of the information collection and its expected cost and burden; it includes the actual data collection instrument.

Title 38 of the Code of Federal Regulations (CFR), Sec. 17.101 sets forth the Department of Veterans Affairs (VA) medical regulations concerning ``reasonable charges'' for medical care or services provided or furnished by VA to a veteran for : (1) A non- service-connected disability for which the veteran is entitled to care or the payment of expenses for care under a health plan contract; (2) a non-service-connected disability incurred incident to the veteran's employment and covered under a worker's compensation law or plan that provides reimbursement or indemnification for such care and services; or (3) a non-service-connected disability incurred as a result of a motor vehicle accident in a State that requires automobile accident reparations insurance. The regulations include methodologies for establishing billed amounts for the following types of charges: Acute inpatient facility charges; skilled nursing facility and sub-acute inpatient facility charges; partial hospitalization facility charges; outpatient facility charges; physician and other professional charges, including professional charges for anesthesia services and dental services; pathology and laboratory charges; observation care facility charges; ambulance and other emergency transportation charges; and charges for durable medical equipment, drugs, injectables, and other medical services, items, and supplies identified by Healthcare Common Procedure Coding System (HCPCS) Level II codes. The regulations also provide that data for calculating actual charge amounts at individual VA facilities based on these methodologies will either be published as a notice in the Federal Register or will be posted on the Internet site of the Veterans Health Administration Chief Business Office, currently at https://www.va.gov/cbo, under ``Charge Data.'' The charge tables and supplemental tables that are applicable to this Federal Register notice can be viewed on the Veterans Health Administration Chief Business Office's Intranet and Internet Web sites. Certain charges are hereby updated as described in the SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION Section of this notice. These changes are effective January 1, 2009. In circumstances when charges for medical care or services provided or furnished at VA expense, by either VA or non-VA providers, have not been established under other provisions or regulations, the method for determining VA's charges is set forth at 38 CFR 17.101(a)(8).

As required by the Privacy Act of 1974, 5 U.S.C. 552a(e), notice is hereby given that the Department of Veterans Affairs (VA) is amending the system of records entitled ``Police and Security Records VA'' (103VA07B) as set forth in 67 FR 77737 dated December 19, 2002. VA is amending the system of records by revising the section of Routine Uses of Records Maintained in the System; as such VA is republishing the system notice in its entirety.

The Privacy Act of 1974 (5 U.S.C. 552(e)(4)) requires that all agencies publish in the Federal Register a notice of the existence and character of their systems of records. Notice is hereby given that the Department of Veterans Affairs (VA) is amending the system of records entitled ``Claimant Private Relief Legislative Files-VA'' (06VA026) as set forth in the Federal Register on January 13, 1982 [47 F.R. 1463]. VA is amending the system by revising the routine uses of records maintained in the system, deleting three routine uses and adding eight new routine uses. The Authority for Maintenance of the System is revised to reflect current legislation authorizing collection of this information. VA is republishing the system notice in its entirety.

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 currently approved collection, and allow 60 days for public comment in response to the notice. This notice solicits comments on information needed to determine a deceased veteran's eligibility for burial benefits.

In compliance with the Paperwork Reduction Act (PRA) of 1995 (44 U.S.C. 3501-3521), this notice announces that the Veterans Benefits Administration (VBA), Department of Veterans Affairs, will submit the collection of information abstracted below to the Office of Management and Budget (OMB) for review and comment. The PRA submission describes the nature of the information collection and its expected cost and burden; it includes the actual data collection instrument.

The Department of Veterans Affairs (VA) hereby establishes a final rule setting forth a mechanism for States to obtain payments from VA to assist a State veterans home in the hiring and retention of nurses for the purpose of reducing nursing shortages at the home. This rule implements provisions of the Veterans Health Programs Improvement Act of 2004.