[Federal Register Volume 82, Number 201 (Thursday, October 19, 2017)]
[Notices]
[Page 48747]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 2017-22689]


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DEPARTMENT OF VETERANS AFFAIRS

[OMB Control No. 2900-0556]


Agency Information Collection Activity Under OMB Review: Living 
Will and Durable Power of Attorney for Health Care

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, 
this notice announces that the Veterans Health Administration, 
Department of Veterans Affairs, will submit 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 it 
includes the actual data collection instrument.

DATES: Comments must be submitted on or before November 20, 2017.

ADDRESSES: Submit written comments on the collection of information 
through www.Regulations.gov, or to Office of Information and Regulatory 
Affairs, Office of Management and Budget, Attn: VA Desk Officer; 725 
17th St. NW., Washington, DC 20503 or sent through electronic mail to 
[email protected]. Please refer to ``OMB Control No. 2900-
0556'' in any correspondence.

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: Cynthia Harvey-Pryor, Enterprise 
Records Service (005R1B), Department of Veterans Affairs, 810 Vermont 
Avenue NW., Washington, DC 20420, (202) 461-5870 or email 
[email protected]. Please refer to ``OMB Control No. 2900-
0556'' in any correspondence.

SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: 

    Authority: 38 U.S.C. 7331.

    Title: Living Will and Durable Power of Attorney for Health Care; 
VA Form 10-0137
    OMB Control Number: 2900-0556.
    Type of Review: Extension of a currently approved collection.
    Abstract: VA Form 10-0137, VA Advance Directive: Durable Power of 
Attorney for Health Care and Living Will, is the Department of Veterans 
Affairs (VA) recognized legal document that permits VA patients to 
designate a health care agent and/or specify preferences for future 
health care. The VA Advance Directive is invoked if a patient becomes 
unable to make health care decisions for him or herself. Use of the VA 
Advance Directive is specified in VHA Handbook 1004.02, Advance Care 
Planning and Management of Advance Directives. Veterans' rights to 
designate a health care agent and specify health care preferences in 
advance are codified in 38 CFR 17.32. This regulation also obligates VA 
to recognize advance directives and to use the information contained 
therein when health care decisions must be made for a patient that has 
lost decision making capacity. Use of advance directives is a well-
established standard within clinical practice in the U.S. Offering the 
opportunity to complete an advance directive and the requirement to 
honor such documents is supported by Joint Commission standards and the 
Patient Self Determination Act of 1990 (applicable to Medicare 
providers.) Use of advance directives is also consistent with the 
health care ethics standard that patients have autonomy in health care 
decision making and have a right to control what is done to them in a 
medical setting.
    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 at 82 FR 151 on August 8, 2017, page 37167.
    Affected Public: Individuals and households.
    Estimated Annual Burden: 171,811 hours.
    Estimated Average Burden per Respondent: 30 minutes.
    Frequency of Response: Annually.
    Estimated Number of Respondents: 343,622.

    By direction of the Secretary.
Cynthia Harvey-Pryor,
Department Clearance Officer, Office of Quality, Privacy and Risk, 
Department of Veterans Affairs.
[FR Doc. 2017-22689 Filed 10-18-17; 8:45 am]
 BILLING CODE 8320-01-P