[Federal Register Volume 73, Number 214 (Tuesday, November 4, 2008)]
[Notices]
[Page 65714]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: E8-26246]


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DEPARTMENT OF VETERANS AFFAIRS


Privacy Act of 1974: Computer Matching Program

AGENCY: Department of Veterans Affairs.

ACTION: Notice of Computer Match Program.

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SUMMARY: Pursuant to 5 U.S.C. section 552a, the Privacy Act of 1974, as 
amended, and the Office of Management and Budget (OMB) Guidelines on 
the Conduct of Matching Programs, notice is hereby given that the 
Department of Veterans Affairs (VA) intends to conduct a computer 
matching program with the Internal Revenue Service (IRS). Data from the 
proposed match will be used to verify the earned income of nonservice-
connected veterans, and those veterans who are zero percent service-
connected (noncompensable), whose eligibility for VA medical care is 
based on their inability to defray the cost of medical care. These 
veterans supply household income information that includes their 
spouses and dependents at the time of application for VA health care 
benefits.

DATES: Effective Date: This match will start no sooner than 30 days 
after publication in the Federal Register, unless comments dictate 
otherwise. IRS published a notice in the Federal Register on August 15, 
2008.

ADDRESSES: Written comments may be submitted by mail or hand-delivery 
to Director, Regulations Management (02REG), Department of Veterans 
Affairs, 810 Vermont Ave., NW., Room 1068, Washington, DC 20420; fax to 
(202) 273-9026; e-mail to [email protected]; or, through http://www.Regulations.gov. All comments received will be available for 
public inspection in the Office of Regulation Policy and Management, 
Room 1063B, between the hours of 8 a.m. and 4:30 p.m., Monday through 
Friday (except holidays). Please call (202) 461-4902 for an appointment 
(this is not a toll-free number).

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: Lynne Harbin, Director, Health 
Eligibility Center, (404) 282-5300 (this is not a toll-free number).

SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: The Department of Veterans Affairs has 
statutory authorization under 38 U.S.C. section 5317, 38 U.S.C. section 
5106, 26 U.S.C. section 6103(l)(7)(D)(viii) and 5 U.S.C. section 552a 
to establish matching agreements and request and use income information 
from other agencies for purposes of verification of income for 
determining eligibility for benefits. 38 U.S.C. sections 1710(a)(2)(G), 
1720(a)(3), and 1710(b) identify those veterans whose basic eligibility 
for medical care benefits is dependent upon their financial status. 
Eligibility for nonservice-connected and zero percent noncompensable 
service-connected veterans is determined based on the veteran's 
inability to defray the expenses for necessary care as defined in 38 
U.S.C. section 1722. This determination can affect their responsibility 
to participate in the cost of their care through copayments and their 
assignment to an enrollment priority group.
    The goal of this match is to obtain IRS earned income information 
data needed for the income verification process. The VA records 
involved in the match are ``Income Verification Records--VA (89VA16).'' 
The IRS records are from the Information Return Master File (IRMF) 
Processing File, Treasury/IRS 22.061. A copy of this notice has been 
sent to both Houses of Congress and OMB.
    This matching agreement expires 18 months after its effective date. 
This match will not continue past the legislative authorized date to 
obtain this information.

Gordon H. Mansfield,
Deputy Secretary of Veterans Affairs.
[FR Doc. E8-26246 Filed 11-3-08; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 8320-01-P