Department of Veterans Affairs February 2011 – Federal Register Recent Federal Regulation Documents

This document adopts as a final rule, with changes, the proposed rule to amend the Department of Veterans Affairs (VA) regulations concerning community residential care facilities, contract facilities for certain outpatient and residential services, and State home facilities. The final rule will clarify current regulations and update the standards for VA approval of such facilities, including standards for fire safety and heating and cooling systems. The final rule will help ensure the safety of veterans in the affected facilities. This document also implements and seeks comments regarding a new interim final sprinkler system requirement for certain facilities.

This document affirms as final an interim final rule that froze until January 1, 2012, the copayment required for certain medications. Under those amendments, the copayment amount for veterans in the Department of Veterans Affairs (VA) health care system, enrollment priority categories 2 through 6, will remain at $8 and the copayment amount for veterans in enrollment priority categories 7 and 8 will remain at $9. The maximum annual copayment amount will also not increase. On January 1, 2012, the copayment amounts will increase based on the prescription drug component of the Medical Consumer Price Index (CPI-P). When the copayment increases, the maximum annual copayment amount automatically increases in turn.

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 to support outreach efforts on the prevention of suicide among Veterans and their families.

Section 203 of the Department of Veterans Affairs Health Care Personnel Act of 1991 (Pub. L. 102-40), dated May 7, 1991, revised the disciplinary grievance and appeal procedures for employees appointed under 38 U.S.C. 7401(1). It also required the periodic designation of employees of the Department who are qualified to serve on Disciplinary Appeals Boards. These employees constitute the Disciplinary Appeals Board Panel from which Board members in a case are appointed. This notice announces that the roster of employees on the Panel is available for review and comment. Employees, employee organizations, and other interested parties shall be provided, without charge, a list of the names of employees on the Panel upon request and may submit comments concerning the suitability for service on the Panel of any employee whose name is on the list.

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 information needed to certify a lender's nominee as a VA Staff Appraisal Reviewer.

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 revision 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 lenders satisfaction with VA Loan Guaranty Service.

The Department of Veterans Affairs (VA) proposes to amend its regulations concerning adjudication of claims, representation of claimants, and Board of Veterans' Appeals rules of practice. These amendments would implement section 212 of the Veterans' Benefits Improvement Act of 2008, which allows an eligible survivor to substitute for a deceased claimant in order to complete the processing of the deceased claimant's claim. The intended effect of these amendments is to clarify the rules and procedures for those situations in which substitution is authorized. Under section 212, if a claimant dies while his or her claim or appeal is pending before VA, a survivor who would be eligible for accrued benefits under existing statutory authority may, not later than one year after the death of the claimant, request to be substituted for the claimant for the purposes of processing the claim or appeal to completion. Accordingly, after substitution, VA will continue to process the claim or appeal as if the claimant had not died. These amendments clarify the following matters: Eligibility for substitution, how an eligible survivor makes a request to substitute, how VA responds to requests to substitute, a substitute's rights in adjudication, limitations related to substitution, order of preference among eligible survivors, representation of substitutes, and procedures for substitution when a claim is before the Board of Veterans' Appeals.

This document amends Department of Veterans Affairs (VA) regulations to reflect changes made by section 504 of the Caregivers and Veterans Omnibus Health Services Act of 2010. Section 504 authorizes a VA practitioner, when the practitioner deems it necessary to ensure an informed medical decision, to share certain, otherwise protected medical information with the representative of a patient who lacks decision-making capacity. This rulemaking amends VA regulations consistent with this new authority.

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. 3501-21), this notice announces that the Office of Information and Technology, 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.

This document amends a Department of Veterans Affairs (VA) Loan Guaranty regulation related to modification of guaranteed housing loans in default. Specifically, changes are made to requirements related to maximum interest rates on modified loans and to items that may be capitalized in a modified loan amount. In addition, we are revising the regulation to clarify that the holder of a loan may seek VA approval for a loan modification that does not otherwise meet prescribed conditions. The amendments are intended to liberalize the requirements for modification of VA-guaranteed loans and provide holders more options for working with veterans to avoid foreclosure.

The Department of Veterans Affairs (VA) proposes to amend its adjudication regulations regarding clothing allowances. The amendment would provide for annual clothing allowances for each qualifying prosthetic or orthopedic appliance worn or used by a veteran for a service-connected disability or disabilities that wears out or tears a distinct article of the veteran's clothing and for each physician- prescribed medication used by a veteran for a skin condition that is due to a service-connected disability that affects a distinct outergarment. The amendment would also provide two annual clothing allowances if a veteran wears or uses more than one qualifying prosthetic or orthopedic appliance, physician-prescribed medication for more than one skin condition, or an appliance and a medication for a service-connected disability or disabilities and the appliances(s) or medication(s) together cause a single article of clothing to wear out faster than if affected by a single appliance or medication.