[Federal Register Volume 67, Number 21 (Thursday, January 31, 2002)]
[Notices]
[Pages 4780-4781]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 02-2365]


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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, 2001.

DATES: These rates are effective January 1, 2002.

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: On January 1 of each year, the Secretary is 
authorized under Title 38 United States Code, section 1722 to increase 
the means test income threshold levels by the same percentage the 
maximum rates of pension benefits were increased under section 5312(a) 
during the preceding calendar year. The means test income thresholds 
are used by the Veterans Health Administration (VHA) to determine 
whether a veteran must agree to pay a copayment for hospital and 
outpatient medical care services. Based on a 2.6 percent increase in 
Pension Benefits effective December 1, 2001, and in accordance with 38 
CFR 3.29, the following income limitations for the Means Test 
Thresholds will be effective January 1, 2002.

Table 1--Means Test Thresholds

(1) Veterans with no dependents:
(a) Below Means Test Threshold: $24,304
(a) Above Means Test Threshold: $24,305
(2) Veterans with 1 dependent:
(a) Below Means Test Threshold: $29,168
(a) Above Means Test Threshold: $29,169
(3) Veterans with 2 dependents:
(a) Below Means Test Threshold: $30,798
(a) Above Means Test Threshold: $30,799

[[Page 4781]]

(4) Veterans with 3 dependents:
(a) Below Means Test Threshold: $32,428
(a) Above Means Test Threshold: $32,429
(5) Veterans with 4 dependents:
(a) Above Means Test Threshold: $34,058
(a) Below Means Test Threshold: $34,059
(6) Veterans with 5 dependents:
(a) Above Means Test Threshold: $35,688
(a) Below Means Test Threshold: $35,689
(7) Child Income Exclusion is: $7,450
(8) The Medicare deductible is $812
(9) Maximum annual Rate of Pension effective 12/1/2001 are:
(a) The base rate is $9,556
(b) The base rate with one dependent is $12,516
(c) Add $1,630 for each additional dependent above 5

    Below the Means Test Threshold is defined as those veterans whose 
attributable income and net worth is such that they are unable to 
defray the expenses of care and therefore are not subject to copay 
charges for hospital and outpatient medical services.
    Above the Means Test Threshold is defined as those veterans whose 
attributable income and net worth is such that they are able to defray 
the expenses of care and must agree to pay a copayment for hospital 
care and outpatient medical services.

    Dated: January 23, 2002.
Anthony J. Principi,
Secretary of Veterans Affairs.
[FR Doc. 02-2365 Filed 1-30-02; 8:45 am]
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