[Federal Register Volume 66, Number 168 (Wednesday, August 29, 2001)]
[Notices]
[Page 45728]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 01-21805]


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DEPARTMENT OF VETERANS AFFAIRS


President's Task Force To Improve Health Care Delivery for Our 
Nation's Veterans; Notice of Meeting

    The Department of Veterans Affairs (VA) gives notice under Public 
Law 92-463 that a meeting of the President's Task Force to Improve 
Health Care Delivery for Our Nation's Veterans will take place on 
Wednesday, September 12, 2001. The meeting will be held in the Polaris 
Room at the Ronald Reagan International Trade Center, 1300 Pennsylvania 
Avenue, NW., Washington, DC. The meeting will convene at 8:30 a.m., 
adjourn at 5:30 p.m. and is open to the general public.
    The purpose of the President's Task Force to Improve Health Care 
Delivery for Our Nation's Veterans is to:
    (a) Identify ways to improve benefits and services for Department 
of Veterans Affairs (VA) beneficiaries and for Department of Defense 
(DoD) military retirees who are also eligible for benefits from VA, 
through better coordination of the activities of the two departments;
    (b) Review barriers and challenges that impede VA and DoD 
coordination, including budgeting processes, timely billing, cost 
accounting, information technology, and reimbursement. Identify 
opportunities to improve such business practices to ensure high quality 
and cost effective health care; and
    (c) Identify opportunities for improved resource utilization 
through partnership between VA and DoD to maximize the use of resources 
and infrastructure, including: buildings, information technology and 
data sharing systems, procurement of supplies, equipment and services, 
and delivery of care.
    The meeting will commence with the formal administration of the 
oath to the appointed Task Force members followed by further 
introductions and discussion of administrative and substantive issues. 
Such issues will include dates and locations of future meetings, 
potential topics and similar matters pertaining to the official 
organization and charge of the Task Force.
    The VA and DoD will separately brief the Task Force on existing VA-
DoD joint-venture initiatives and other practices currently being 
undertaken within VA and DoD concerning the Task Force's designated 
mission under Executive Order 13214.
    Representatives of the General Accounting Office (GAO) will provide 
a synopsis of their findings from GAO's studies of VA-DoD joint 
ventures and opportunities for sharing initiatives.
    Task Force members will conduct brief question and answer sessions 
with VA, DoD and GAO officials following their respective 
presentations.
    Interested parties can provide written comments to Mr. Richard 
Larson, Staff Assistant, Department of Veterans Affairs, Office of the 
Secretary, 810 Vermont Avenue, NW., Washington, DC 20420.

    Dated: August 24, 2001.

    By Direction of the Secretary.
Nora E. Egan,
Committee Management Officer.
[FR Doc. 01-21805 Filed 8-28-01; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 8320-01-M