Department of Veterans Affairs March 2012 – Federal Register Recent Federal Regulation Documents

This Department of Veterans Affairs (VA) notice informs the public of the updated ``National Average Administrative Costs'' for purposes of calculating VA's charges for prescription drugs that were not administered during treatment but were 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; 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 a nonservice-connected disability incurred as a result of a motor vehicle accident in a State that requires automobile accident reparations insurance. This updated administrative cost charge was effective on January 1, 2012, for Calendar Year 2012.

The Secretary Department of Veterans Affairs (VA) established the Gulf War Veterans' Illnesses Task Force (GWVI-TF) in August 2009 to conduct a comprehensive review of VA policies and programs addressing 1990-1991 Gulf War Veterans' illnesses. The GWVI-TF published its first annual report in September 2010. The GWVI-TF posted a draft of its 2011 annual report for public comment on October 20, 2011. VA published the report in the Federal Register (76 FR 65321) and posted it on a social media Web site created specifically to elicit responses on the report. VA collected comments through both venues. During the thirty day comment period, VA received twenty-five comments submitted through the Federal Register venue and over 450 comments from over 500 registered users through the social media Web site. VA sincerely thanks all those who took the time to submit comments. VA has completed its 2011 Gulf War Veterans' Illnesses Task Force Report. The GWVI-TF reviewed all the comments submitted and addressed in this report those comments that were directly responsive to the report. Comments specifically addressed in this report are annotated accordingly. The comments that were not directly responsive to the report will serve as guidance for the GWVI-TF to consider as it moves forward. Finally, there were a number of individual requests for assistance. Those that contained sufficient specific information were referred to appropriate VA offices for action. Those that were not specific enough or were anonymously submitted will serve as background for consideration on areas for the GWVI-TF to study in the future.

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; 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 which institutions of higher learning (IHLs) will be participating in the Yellow Ribbon G. I. Education Enhancement Program (Under Title 38 U.S.C. Chapter 33), the maximum number of individuals for whom the IHL will make contributions in any given academic year, and the maximum amount of contributions that may be provided on behalf of participating individuals during the academic year.

The Department of Veterans Affairs (VA) proposes to establish in regulation the readjustment counseling currently provided in VA's Vet Centers to certain veterans of the Armed Forces and members of their immediate families, and to implement provisions of the Caregivers and Veterans Omnibus Health Services Act of 2010 (the 2010 Act) regarding readjustment counseling. Although for several decades VA has provided readjustment counseling to veterans and members of their immediate families, a regulation is now explicitly required by the 2010 Act. The 2010 Act makes certain current members of the Armed Forces who served on active duty in Operation Enduring Freedom or Operation Iraqi Freedom eligible for the readjustment counseling that VA currently provides to veterans and members of their immediate families. In addition, the proposed regulation would authorize Vet Centers to provide referral and advice to individuals who are not otherwise eligible for such counseling, and served in a theater of combat operations or in an area during a period of hostilities in that area, in accordance with the 2010 Act.

In accordance with Section 743 of Division C of the Consolidated Appropriations Act of 2010 (Public Law 111-117), Department of Veterans Affairs (VA) is publishing this notice to advise the public of the availability of the FY 2011 Service Contract Inventory. The inventory provides information on VA service contract actions over $25,000 made in FY 2011. The information is organized by function to show how contracted resources are distributed throughout the agency. The inventory has been developed in accordance with guidance issued on November 5, 2010, and updated on December 19, 2011, by the Office of Management and Budget's Office of Federal Procurement Policy (OFPP). OFPP's guidance is available at https:// www.whitehouse.gov/sites/default/files/ omb/procurement/memo/service-contract-inventory-guidance.pdf. VA posted its inventory and a summary of the inventory on the VA Web site at: https://www.va.gov/oal/library/scaInventory.asp.

The Department of Veterans Affairs (VA) is proposing to amend its regulation that governs VA services that are not subject to copayment requirements for inpatient hospital care or outpatient medical care. Specifically, the regulation would be amended to exempt in-home video telehealth care from having any required copayment. This would remove a barrier that may have previously discouraged veterans from choosing to use in-home video telehealth as a viable medical care option. In turn, VA hopes to make the home a preferred place of care, whenever medically appropriate and possible.

Notice is hereby given that the Department of Veterans Affairs, Office of Research and Development, intends to grant to Brain Plasticity, Inc., One Montgomery St., Suite 710, San Francisco, California 94104-4505, USA, an exclusive license to practice the following patent application: PCT/US2011/042031 filed July 8, 2011, entitled ``Computer-Implemented interactive behavioral training technique for the optimization of attention or remediation of disorders of attention.''

This document proposes to amend the Department of Veterans Affairs (VA) regulation authorizing tentative eligibility determinations to comply with amended statutory authority concerning statutory minimum active-duty service requirements. This document also proposes to codify in regulation statutory presumptions of medical-care eligibility for veterans of certain wars and conflicts who developed psychosis within specified time periods and for Persian Gulf War veterans who developed a mental illness other than psychosis within two years after service and within two years after the end of the Persian Gulf War period. We believe that regulations are necessary because we would interpret the law to allow VA to waive any copayments associated with care pursuant to the statutory presumption and to waive any otherwise applicable minimum service requirements.

The Department of Veterans Affairs (VA) is announcing the availability of funds for applications for assistance under the Per Diem Only component of VA's Homeless Providers Grant and Per Diem Program. This Notice of Funding Availability (NOFA) includes funding priorities for those applicants who will serve specific homeless veteran populations that are identified in this NOFA, or implement a new ``transition in place'' housing model to facilitate housing stabilization. This Notice contains information concerning the program, funding priorities, application process, and amount of funding available.

We propose to revise and reorganize regulations which contain the Department of Veterans Affairs' (VA) Homeless Providers Grant and Per Diem Program. This rulemaking would update our current regulations, implement and authorize new VA policies, and generally improve the clarity of part 61.