Department of Veterans Affairs – Federal Register Recent Federal Regulation Documents

The Department of Veterans Affairs (VA) proposes to remove a regulation that states that a veteran who misses two medical appointments without providing 24 hours' notice and a reasonable excuse is deemed to have refused VA medical care. The current regulation states that no further treatment will be furnished to a veteran deemed to have refused care except in emergency situations, unless the veteran agrees to cooperate by keeping future appointments. VA believes that the current regulation is incompatible with regulatory changes implemented after the regulation was promulgated, is not in line with current practice, and is inconsistent with VA's patient-centered approach to medical care.

The Office of Acquisition and Logistics (OA&L), 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 the information needed to repair technical medical equipment and devices or mechanical equipment.

The Office of Acquisition and Logistics (OA&L), 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 the information needed to ensure that shellfish purchased by VA are from a State- and Federal-approved and inspected source.

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 Office of Acquisition and Logistics (OA&L), 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 the information needed to allow firms to offer items that are equal to the brand name item stated in the bid.

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 proposed extension of a currently approved, and allow 60 days for public comment in response to the notice. This notice solicits comments on information needed to request an informal review of veterans' denied healthcare benefits claims.

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; it includes the actual data collection instrument.

The Department of Veterans Affairs (VA) amends its regulations to establish a new program to provide grants to eligible entities to assist veterans in highly rural areas through innovative transportation services to travel to VA medical centers, and to otherwise assist in providing transportation services in connection with the provision of VA medical care to these veterans, in compliance with section 307 of title III of the Caregivers and Veterans Omnibus Health Services Act of 2010. This final rule establishes procedures for evaluating grant applications under the new grant program, and otherwise administering the new grant program.

The Office of Information and Technology (OIT), 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 rapid response to electronic inquiries submitted to VA through the Inquiry Routing and Information System (IRIS).

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 a claimant's eligibility for a loan or cash surrender value on his or her Government Life Insurance policy.

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 determine whether an eligible person who is enrolled in a program at one school is entitled to receive education benefits for enrollment at a secondary school.

The Department of Veterans Affairs (VA) is withdrawing VA's proposed rulemaking, published in the Federal Register on September 27, 2012, which proposed to amend its regulations that govern VA payments to State homes for bed holds on behalf of veterans. Specifically, the regulation proposed to remove a 30-day residency requirement before VA would make such payments. VA received no significant adverse comments concerning the proposed rule or its companion substantially identical direct final rule published on the same date in the Federal Register. In a companion document in this issue of the Federal Register, we are confirming that the direct final rule became effective on November 26, 2012. Accordingly, this document withdraws as unnecessary the proposed rule.

The Department of Veterans Affairs (VA) published a notice in the Federal Register on October 31, 2012 (77 FR 65938), to amend its system of records entitled ``Patient Medical RecordVA'' (24VA19) as set forth in the Federal Register at 74 FR 60040. That notice contained several errors that are corrected by this document.

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 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 non-Federal nursing home qualification to provide care to Veteran patients.

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 ensure that the amount of benefits payable to a student pursuing flight training is correct.

The Veterans Benefits Administration (VBA), Department of Veterans Affairs (VA) is announcing an opportunity for public comment on the proposed collection of 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 allow VA to share personal beneficiary or claims information to a third party.

This document adopts as a final rule, with changes, the proposed rule to amend the Department of Veterans Affairs (VA) regulations concerning VA's Homeless Providers Grant and Per Diem Program (Program). This rulemaking updates and improves the clarity of these regulations, and implements and authorizes new VA policies.

In accordance with Section 743 of Division C of the Consolidated Appropriations Act of 2010 (Pub. L. 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 Analysis Report and FY 2012 Service Contract Inventory. The FY 2011 analysis report discusses the methodology, analysis, and special interest functions studied from the FY 2011 inventory, as well actions, planned and taken, to address any identified weaknesses or challenges. The FY 2012 inventory provides information on VA service contract actions over $25,000. The inventory information is organized by function to show how contracted resources are distributed throughout the agency. The report and inventory were 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/omb/ procurement-service-contract-inventories. VA posted the report, inventory, and a summary of the inventory on the VA Web site at: http:/ /www.va.gov/oal/business/pps/scaInventory.asp.