[Federal Register Volume 65, Number 21 (Tuesday, February 1, 2000)]
[Notices]
[Pages 4863-4864]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 00-2054]


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DEPARTMENT OF VETERANS AFFAIRS


Means Test Thresholds

AGENCY:  Department of Veterans Affairs.

ACTION:  Notice.

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SUMMARY:  As required by law, the Department of Veterans Affairs (VA) 
is hereby giving notice of cost-of-living adjustments (COLA) for means 
test income limitations. These adjustments are based on the rise in the 
Consumer Price Index (CPI) during the one-year period ending September 
30, 1999.

DATES:  These rates are effective January 1, 2000.

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT:  Roscoe Butler, Chief Policy and 
Operations, Health Administration Service, (10C3), Veterans Health 
Administration, VA, 810 Vermont Avenue, NW, Washington, DC 20420, (202) 
273-8302. (This is not a toll-free number.)

SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION:  Title 38, United States Code (U.S.C.) 
Sec. 1722(c), requires that on January 1 of each year, the Secretary 
increase the means test threshold amounts by the same percentage the 
maximum rates of pension benefits were increased under section 5312(a) 
during the preceding calendar year. Under the provisions of 38 U.S.C. 
section 5312 and section 306 of Public Law 95-588, VA is required to 
increase the benefit rates and income limitations in the pension and 
parents' indemnity compensation (DIC) program by the same percentage, 
and effective the same date, as increases in the benefit amount payable 
under Title II of the Social Security Act.
    On October 25, 1999, for the period beginning December 1, 1999, the 
Social Security Administration announced in volume 64, Number 205 of 
the Federal Register, a 2.4 percent cost-of-living increase in Social 
Security Benefits under Title II of the Social Security Act. The 
Veteran Benefits Administration has indicated Pension benefits will be 
increased by a 2.4 percent cost-of-living increase effective December 
1, 1999. Therefore, applying the same percentage and rounding up in 
accordance with 38 CFR 3.29, the following income limitations for the 
Means Test Thresholds will be effective January 1, 2000.

Table 1.--Means Test Thresholds

(1) Veterans with no dependents:
(a) Category A: $22,887
(b) Category C: $22,888
(2) Veterans with 1 dependent:
(a) Category A: $27,468
(b) Category C: $27,469
(3) Veterans with 2 dependents:
(a) Category A: $29,000
(b) Category C: $29,001
(4) Veterans with 3 dependents:
(a) Category A: $30,532
(b) Category C: $30,533
(5) Veterans with 4 dependents:
(a) Category A: $32,064
(b) Category C: $32,065
(6) Veterans with 5 dependents:
(a) Category A: $33,596
(b) Category C: $33,597
(7) Child Income Exclusion is: $7,200
(8) The Medicare deductible is $776
(9) Maximum annual Rate of Pension effective 12/1/1999 are:
(a) The base rate is $8,989
(b) The base rate with one dependent is $11,773
(c) Add $1,532 each additional dependent

    Dated: January 20, 2000.
Togo D. West, Jr.,
Secretary of Veterans Affairs.
[FR Doc. 00-2054 Filed 1-31-00; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 8320-01-P