Department of Veterans Affairs November 2017 – Federal Register Recent Federal Regulation Documents

In compliance with the Paperwork Reduction Act (PRA) of 1995, this notice announces that the Loan Guaranty Service, 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 it includes the actual data collection instrument.

In compliance with the Paperwork Reduction Act (PRA) of 1995, 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 and it includes the actual data collection instrument.

In accordance with the provisions of the Federal Advisory Committee Act (FACA) and after consultation with the General Services Administration, the Secretary of Veterans Affairs has renewed the charter for the following statutorily authorized Federal advisory committee for a two-year period, beginning on the date listed below:

In compliance with the Paperwork Reduction Act (PRA) of 1995, 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 and it includes the actual data collection instrument.

The Department of Veterans Affairs (VA) proposes to amend its medical regulations to clarify that VA will not bill third party payers for care and services provided by VA under certain statutory provisions, which we refer to as ``special treatment authorities.'' These special treatment authorities direct VA to provide care and services to veterans based upon discrete exposures or experiences that occurred during active military, naval, or air service. VA is authorized, but not required by law, to recover or collect charges for care and services provided to veterans for non-service connected disabilities. This proposed rule would establish that VA would not exercise its authority to recover or collect reasonable charges from third party payers for care and services provided under the special treatment authorities.

Veterans Health Administration, 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 renewal of a currently approved collection, and allow 60 days for public comment in response to the notice.

The Department of Veterans Affairs (VA) is updating the monetary reimbursement rates for caskets and urns purchased for the interment in a VA national cemetery or a VA-funded state or tribal veterans' cemetery of Veterans who die with no known next of kin and where there are insufficient resources for furnishing a burial container. The purpose of this notice is to notify interested parties of the rates that will apply to reimbursement claims that occur during calendar year (CY) 2018.

The Department of Veterans Affairs (VA) published a final rule in the Federal Register on May 2, 2016, which amended a number of regulations in the Code of Federal Regulations (CFR) to authorize personnel hired by VA's Vocational Rehabilitation and Employment (VR&E) Service under the title ``Vocational Rehabilitation Counselor'' (VRC) to make the same determinations with respect to Chapter 31 services and benefits as personnel who had been hired under the title ``Counseling Psychologist'' (CP). The preamble to that final rule cited supporting documents inaccurately and failed to properly explain the qualifications for and duties of this VR&E position responsible for making determinations with respect to Chapter 31 services and benefits. This interim final rule corrects those inaccuracies, more clearly explains the basis for the final rule, and invites public comment on the changes made to VA's regulations in the May 2, 2016, final rule.

In compliance with the Paperwork Reduction Act (PRA) of 1995, this notice announces that the Veterans Health 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 and it includes the actual data collection instrument.

Veterans Health Administration, 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 reinstatement of a currently approved collection, and allow 60 days for public comment in response to the notice.

The Department of Veterans Affairs (VA) is amending its medical regulations by establishing in regulation the eligibility requirements that ecclesiastical endorsing organizations must meet in order to provide ecclesiastical endorsements of individuals seeking employment as VA chaplains, or of individuals who are seeking to be engaged by VA under contract or appointed as on-facility fee basis VA chaplains under the United States Code. VA considers veterans' spiritual care an integral part of their overall health care. As such, VA is committed to providing qualified VA chaplains to address the veterans' spiritual needs by engaging chaplains that are ecclesiastically endorsed. Ecclesiastical endorsement certifies that the individual is qualified to perform all the religious sacraments, rites, rituals, ceremonies and ordinances needed by members of a particular faith.

The Department of Veterans Affairs (VA) has a current 12 month computer matching agreement (CMA) re-establishment agreement with the Federal Bureau of Prisons (BOP) regarding Veterans who are in Federal prison and are also in receipt of compensation and pension benefits. The purpose of this CMA is to renew the agreement between VA, Veterans Benefits Administration (VBA) and the United States Department of Justice (DOJ), BOP. BOP will disclose information about individuals who are in federal prison. VBA will use this information as a match for recipients of Compensation and Pension benefits for adjustments of awards.

The Department of Veterans Affairs (VA) is announcing the availability of funds for supportive services grants under the Supportive Services for Veteran Families (SSVF) Program. This Notice of Fund Availability (NOFA) contains information concerning the SSVF Program, renewal supportive services grant application processes, and the amount of funding available. Awards made for supportive services grants will fund operations beginning October 1, 2018.

The Department of Veterans Affairs (VA) is rescinding nine outdated systems of records.

Veterans Health Administration, 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 reinstatement of a currently approved collection, and allow 60 days for public comment in response to the notice.

VA is announcing the availability of per diem funds to eligible entities to provide transitional housing beds under VA's Homeless Providers GPD Program models. VA expects to fund 1,500 beds with this NOFA for applicants who will use one or a combination of the following housing models: Bridge Housing, Low Demand, Hospital-to- Housing, Clinical Treatment, and Service-Intensive Transitional Housing and Service Centers.