Department of Veterans Affairs September 2010 – 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 information needed to underwrite VA-guaranteed loans.

The Veterans Health Administration (VHA) 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 extension of a currently approved collection, and allow 60 days for public comment in response to the notice. This notice solicits comments on information needed to initiate and document expenditures, to claim reimbursement as well as make funeral arrangements and authorize burial benefits.

The Department of Veterans Affairs (VA) amends its adjudication regulations concerning presumptive service connection for certain diseases. This amendment implements a decision of the Secretary of Veterans Affairs that there is a positive association between service in Southwest Asia during certain periods and the subsequent development of certain infectious diseases in response to an October 16, 2006, report of the National Academy of Sciences (NAS), titled ``Gulf War and Health Volume 5: Infectious Diseases.'' The intended effect of this amendment is to establish presumptive service connection for these diseases and to provide guidance regarding long-term health effects associated with these diseases.

Section 17.101 of Title 38 of the Code of Federal Regulations 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 a nonservice-connected disability for which the veteran is entitled to care (or the payment of expenses of care) under a health plan contract; For a nonservice-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 For a nonservice-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/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 in a notice in the Federal Register or will be posted on the Internet site of the Veterans Health Administration (VHA) Chief Business Office, currently at https:// www1.va.gov/CBO/apps/rates/index.asp, under ``Charge Data.'' Certain charges are hereby updated as described in the Supplementary Information section of this notice. These changes are effective October 1, 2010. 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 of the regulations, the method for determining VA's charges is set forth at 38 CFR 17.101(a)(8).

The Department of Veterans Affairs (VA) adopts as a final rule its proposal to amend its adjudication regulations regarding specially adapted housing and special home adaptation grants. This final rule incorporates certain provisions from the Veterans Benefits Act of 2003, the Veterans Benefits Improvement Act of 2004, the Veterans' Housing Opportunity and Benefits Improvement Act of 2006, and the Housing and Economic Recovery Act of 2008. These amendments are necessary to conform the regulations to the statutory provisions.

This document amends the Department of Veterans Affairs' (VA's) Loan Guaranty regulations concerning assistance to eligible individuals in acquiring specially adapted housing. These changes improve the readability of the regulations; provide further detail about longstanding program policies; and address legislation, policy changes, and a VA Office of the General Counsel legal opinion.

In compliance with the Paperwork Reduction Act (PRA) of 1995 (44 U.S.C. 3501-3521), this notice announces that the Veterans Benefits Administration, 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 a currently approved collection, and allow 60 days for public comment in response to the notice. This notice solicits comments for information needed to authorize nonsupervised lenders to close loans on an automatic basis.

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 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 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.

Pursuant to 5 U.S.C. 552a, the Privacy Act of 1974, as amended, and the Office of Management and Budget (OMB) Guidelines on the Conduct of Matching Programs, notice is hereby given that the Department of Veterans Affairs (VA) intends to conduct a computer matching program with the Social Security Administration (SSA). Data from the proposed match will be used to verify the earned income of nonservice-connected veterans, and those veterans who are zero percent service-connected (noncompensable), whose eligibility for VA medical care is based on their inability to defray the cost of medical care. These veterans supply household income information that includes their spouses and dependents at the time of application for VA health care benefits.

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 release of liability and substitution of entitlement of veterans-sellers to the government on guaranteed, insured and direct loans.

The Department of Veterans Affairs (VA) published a final rule in the Federal Register on May 13, 1996 (61 FR 21964), amending its medical regulations in 38 CFR part 17 by making a number of nonsubstantive changes. Specifically, section numbers were redesignated, redundant and obsolete material was removed, certain position and organizational titles were changed, and material previously deleted was restored. The document contained an error in an amendatory instruction. We removed portions of Sec. 17.31 and inadvertently redesignated Sec. 17.31(b)(5) as the new Sec. 17.31, creating two sections for Sec. 17.31. This document will correct that error by removing the second, obsolete Sec. 17.31.

The Veterans Health Administration (VHA), 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 new collection and allow 60 days for public comment in response to the notice. This notice solicits comments on information needed to assist in VA's efforts to address the health concerns and problems of Gulf War Veterans.

The Department of Veterans Affairs (VA) proposes to reorganize and rewrite in plain language its regulations concerning service- connected and other disability compensation. These revisions are proposed as part of VA's reorganization of all of its compensation and pension regulations in a logical, claimant-focused, and user-friendly format. The intended effect of the proposed revisions is to assist claimants, beneficiaries, and VA personnel in locating and understanding these regulations.