[Federal Register Volume 68, Number 194 (Tuesday, October 7, 2003)]
[Notices]
[Pages 57955-57956]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 03-25331]


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DEPARTMENT OF VETERANS AFFAIRS

[OMB Control No. 2900-0646]


Proposed Information Collection Activity: Proposed Collection; 
Comment Request

AGENCY: Veterans Health Administration, Department of Veterans Affairs 
(VA).

ACTION: Notice.

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SUMMARY: 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 collection, and allow 
60 days for public comment in response to the notice. This notice 
solicits comments on the information necessary for VA to fill 
prescriptions written by non-VA physicians.

DATES: Written comments and recommendations on the proposed collection 
of information should be received on or before December 8, 2003.

ADDRESSES: Submit written comments on the collection of information to 
Ann Bickoff, Veterans Health Administration (193B1), Department of 
Veterans Affairs, 810 Vermont Avenue, NW., Washington, DC 20420 or e-
mail [email protected]. Please refer to ``OMB Control No. 2900-
0646'' in any correspondence.

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: Ann Bickoff at (202) 273-8310.

SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION:  Under the PRA of 1995 (Pub. L. 104-13; 44 
U.S.C. 3501-21), Federal agencies must obtain approval from the Office 
of Management and Budget (OMB) for each collection of information they 
conduct or sponsor. This request for comment is being made pursuant to 
section 3506(c)(2)(A) of the PRA.
    With respect to the following collection of information, VHA 
invites comments on: (1) Whether the proposed collection of information 
is necessary for the proper performance of VHA's functions, including 
whether the information will have practical utility; (2) the accuracy 
of VHA's estimate of the burden of the proposed collection of 
information; (3) ways to enhance the quality, utility, and clarity of 
the information to be collected; and (4) ways to minimize the burden of 
the collection of information on respondents, including through the use 
of automated collection techniques or the use of other forms of 
information technology.
    Title: Medication Prescribed by Non-VA Physicians; VA Transitional 
Pharmacy Benefit, VA Form 10-0411.
    OMB Control Number: 2900-0646.
    Type of Review: Extension of a currently approved collection.
    Abstract: Under existing law and regulations, a veteran desiring 
medical care from VA must enroll in VA's health care system. When a 
veteran first enrolls in the VA system, and requests an appointment for 
care, VA schedules an appointment for a visit with a primary care 
physician. The primary care physician generally learns from the veteran 
what medication the veteran is taking, if any, assesses the need for 
the medication and writes prescriptions for any needed medication. 
Those prescriptions written by the VA physician are filled by a VA 
pharmacy. In recent years, there has been an increased in the 
enrollment of veterans into the health care system to obtain pharmacy 
benefits at no cost or at a reasonable cost. With the dramatically 
increased enrollment, VA has been unable to provide all enrolled 
veterans with health care services in a timely manner. Many of those 
veterans have prescriptions, written by non-VA physicians, that VA 
primary care physicians may subsequently confirm and renew when the 
veterans are able to have initial primary care visits. In an effort to 
ease financial burden on enrolled veterans currently waiting

[[Page 57956]]

lengthy periods of time for their initial primary care visits, VA will 
provide these veterans with medication prior to their initial primary 
care visits at VA if these veterans present valid prescriptions from 
the non-VA physicians. VA will fill prescriptions written by non-VA 
physicians only for a period of time such veterans are awaiting a 
scheduled appointment with a VA health care provider. VA Form 10-0411, 
VA Transitional Pharmacy Benefit will be used to collect the data 
necessary to safely administer these medications.
    Affected Public: Individuals or households.
    Estimated Total Annual Burden: 30,287 hours.
    Estimated Average Burden Per Respondent: 10 minutes.
    Frequency of Response: One-time.
    Estimated Number of Respondents: 363,446.
    Estimated Total Annual Responses: 181,723.

    Dated: September 25, 2003.

    By direction of the Secretary.
Jacqueline Parks,
IT Specialist, Records Management Service.
[FR Doc. 03-25331 Filed 10-6-03; 8:45 am]
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