[Federal Register Volume 83, Number 24 (Monday, February 5, 2018)]
[Notices]
[Pages 5166-5167]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 2018-02158]


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DEPARTMENT OF VETERANS AFFAIRS


Publication of Choice Act Section 201 Independent Assessments and 
Report--Change of Website Location

AGENCY: Department of Veterans Affairs.

ACTION: Notice.

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SUMMARY: This Federal Register Notice announces a change in website 
location of a 2015 report entitled, ``Independent Assessment of the 
Health Care Delivery Systems and Management Processes of the Department 
of Veterans Affairs (Independent Assessment Report).'' The Independent 
Assessment Report was required by Section 201 of the Veterans Access, 
Choice, and Accountability Act of 2014 (Choice Act). Section 201 also 
required the Secretary of Veterans Affairs (VA) to publish the Report 
in the Federal Register and on a Department internet website accessible 
to the public. VA published the Federal Register Notice, which included 
the website address on September 18, 2015.

ADDRESSES: The Independent Assessment Report is now available on the 
following website: https://www.va.gov/HEALTHPOLICYPLANNING/section1.asp.

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: Laura Bowman, Program Analyst, 
Veterans Health Administration, 810 Vermont Avenue NW, Washington, DC 
20420 Telephone: (202) 461-7100. (This is not a toll-free number).

SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: Section 201 of the Choice Act required the 
Secretary to contract with a private entity to conduct an independent 
assessment of VA health care. Within 60 days of completing the 
assessment, the private entity was required to submit a report of its 
findings and recommendations. The Secretary was then required to 
publish the report in

[[Page 5167]]

the Federal Register and on a publicly accessible website of the 
Department. VA published the Federal Register Notice on September 18, 
2015 (80 FR 56550). VA also published the Independent Assessment Report 
on its website at https://www.va.gov/opa/choiceact/factsheets_and_details.asp. Since then, VA has simplified the website 
content to give Veterans easier access to practical information about 
eligibility and participation in the Veterans' Choice Program. As part 
of this redesign, VA moved the Independent Assessment Report to https://www.va.gov/HEALTHPOLICYPLANNING/section1.asp. This Federal Register 
Notice informs the public of this change so that Veterans and other 
stakeholders will continue to have access to these important resources.

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 January 23, 2018, for publication.

    Approved: January 23, 2018.
Jeffrey Martin,
Impact Analyst, Office of Regulation Policy & Management, Office of the 
Secretary, Department of Veterans Affairs.
[FR Doc. 2018-02158 Filed 2-2-18; 8:45 am]
 BILLING CODE 8320-01-P