[Federal Register Volume 81, Number 244 (Tuesday, December 20, 2016)]
[Notices]
[Page 92976]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 2016-30510]


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DEPARTMENT OF VETERANS AFFAIRS


Reimbursement for Caskets and Urns for Burial of Unclaimed 
Remains in a National Cemetery

AGENCY: Department of Veterans Affairs.

ACTION: Notice.

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SUMMARY: The Department of Veterans Affairs (VA) is updating the 
monetary reimbursement rates for caskets and urns purchased for the 
interment in a VA national cemetery of Veterans who die with no known 
next of kin and where there are insufficient resources for furnishing a 
burial container. The purpose of this notice is to notify interested 
parties of the rates that will apply to reimbursement claims that occur 
during calendar year (CY) 2017.

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: Eric Axelbank, Budget Operations and 
Field Support Division, National Cemetery Administration, Department of 
Veterans Affairs, 810 Vermont Avenue NW., Washington, DC 20420. 
Telephone: (202) 632-7236 (this is not a toll-free number).

SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: Section 2306(f) of title 38, U.S.C., 
authorizes VA National Cemetery Administration (NCA) to furnish a 
casket or urn for interment in a VA national cemetery of the unclaimed 
remains of Veterans for whom VA cannot identify a next of kin and 
determines that sufficient financial resources for the furnishing of a 
casket or urn for burial are not available. VA implemented regulations 
to administer this authority as a reimbursement benefit in section 
38.628 of title 38, Code of Federal Regulations.
    Reimbursement for a claim received in any CY will not exceed the 
average cost of a 20-gauge metal casket or a durable plastic urn during 
the fiscal year (FY) preceding the CY of the claim. Average costs are 
determined by market analysis for 20-gauge metal caskets, designed to 
contain human remains, with a gasketed seal, and external rails or 
handles. The same analysis is completed for durable plastic urns, 
designed to contain human remains, which include a secure closure to 
contain the cremated remains.
    Using this method of computation, in FY 2016, the average costs for 
caskets were determined to be $2,069 and $163 for urns. Accordingly, 
the reimbursement rates payable for qualifying interments occurring 
during CY 2017 are $2,069 for caskets and $163 for urns.

Signing Authority

    The Secretary of Veterans Affairs, or designee, approved this 
document and authorized the undersigned to sign and submit the document 
to the Office of the Federal Register for publication electronically as 
an official document of the Department of Veterans Affairs. Gina S. 
Farrisee, Deputy Chief of Staff, Department of Veterans Affairs, 
approved this document on December 13, 2016, for publication.

    Dated: December 13, 2016.
Jeffrey Martin,
Office Program Manager, Office of Regulation Policy & Management, 
Office of the Secretary, Department of Veterans Affairs.
[FR Doc. 2016-30510 Filed 12-19-16; 8:45 am]
 BILLING CODE 8320-01-P