[Federal Register Volume 70, Number 99 (Tuesday, May 24, 2005)]
[Notices]
[Pages 29825-29826]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: E5-2590]


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DEPARTMENT OF VETERANS AFFAIRS

[OMB Control No. 2900-0606]


Agency Information Collection Activities Under OMB Review

AGENCY: Veterans Health Administration, Department of Veterans Affairs.

ACTION: Notice.

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SUMMARY: 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, has submitted 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 and includes the actual data collection instrument.

DATES: Comments must be submitted on or before June 23, 2005.

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: Denise McLamb, Records Management 
Service (005E3), Department of Veterans Affairs, 810 Vermont Avenue, 
NW., Washington, DC 20420, (202) 273-8030, FAX (202) 273-5981 or e-mail 
to: [email protected]. Please refer to ``OMB Control No. 2900-
0606.''
    Send comments and recommendations concerning any aspect of the 
information collection to VA's OMB Desk Officer, OMB Human Resources 
and Housing Branch, New Executive Office Building, Room 10235, 
Washington, DC 20503, (202) 395-7316. Please refer to ``OMB Control No. 
2900-0606'' in any correspondence.

SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION:

[[Page 29826]]

    Title: Regulation for Submission of Evidence--Title 38 CFR 17.1C1 
(a) (2).
    OMB Control Number: 2900-0606.
    Type of Review: Extension of a currently approved collection.
    Abstract: The regulation authorizes VA to bill ``reasonable 
charges'' instead of ``reasonable cost'' for medical care or services 
provided or furnished to a veteran for a non-service connected 
disability. Under the provisions of 38 CFR 17.101(a)(4), a third party 
payer that is liable for reimbursing VA for care and services VA 
provided to a veteran with non-service-connected conditions continues 
to have the option of paying either the billed charges or the amount 
the health plan demonstrates it would pay to providers other than 
entities of the United States for the same care or services in the same 
geographic area. If the amount submitted for payment is less than the 
amount billed, VA will accept the submission as payment, subject to 
verification at VA's discretion. VA may request the third-party payer 
to submit evidence or information to substantiate the appropriateness 
of the payment amount (e.g., health plan policies, provider agreements, 
medical evidence, and proof of payment to other providers demonstrating 
the amount paid for the same care and services VA provided). VA uses 
the information to determine whether the third-party payer has met the 
test of properly demonstrating its equivalent private sector provider 
payment amount for the same care or services and within the same 
geographic area as provided by VA.
    An agency may not conduct or sponsor, and a person is not required 
to respond to a collection of information unless it displays a 
currently valid OMB control number. The Federal Register notice with a 
60-day comment period soliciting comments on this collection of 
information was published on January 11, 2005, at pages 1934-1935.
    Affected Public: Business or other for-profit, Individuals or 
households, not for profit institutions, farms, Federal government, and 
State, local or tribal government.
    Estimated Total Annual Burden: 800 hours.
    Estimated Average Burden Per Respondent: 2 hours.
    Frequency of Response: On occasion.
    Estimated Number of Respondents: 400.

    Dated: May 10, 2005.
    By direction of the Secretary.
Cindy Stewart,
Program Analyst, Records Management Service.
[FR Doc. E5-2590 Filed 5-23-05; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 8320-01-P