§ 104.51 - Payments to eligible individuals.

§ 104.51 Payments to eligible individuals.

(a) Payment date. Subject to paragraph (c) of this section, the Special Master shall authorize payment of an award to a claimant not later than 20 days after the date on which:

(1) The claimant accepts the presumed award; or

(2) A final award for the claimant is determined after a hearing on appeal.

(b) Failure to accept or appeal presumed award. If a claimant fails to accept or appeal the presumed award determined for that claimant within 30 days, the presumed award shall be deemed to have been accepted and all rights to appeal the award shall have been waived.

(c) Payment of Group A claims. Group A claims shall be paid as soon as practicable from the capped amount appropriated for such claims of $2,775,000,000.

(d) Payment of Group B claims. Group B claims may be paid after the date on which new Group B claims may be filed under these regulations from the amount appropriated for Group A claims if and to the extent that there are funds remaining after all Group A claims have been paid and, thereafter, from the $4,600,000,000 amount appropriated specifically for Group B claims once it becomes available in fiscal year 2017 until expended.

(e) Prioritization. The Special Master shall identify claims that present the most debilitating physical conditions and shall prioritize the compensation of such claims so that claimants with such debilitating conditions are not unduly burdened.

(f) Reassessment. Commencing on December 18, 2017, and continuing at least annually thereafter until the closure of the Victim Compensation Fund, the Special Master shall review and reassess policies and procedures and make such adjustments as may be necessary to ensure that the total expenditures including administrative costs in providing compensation for claims in Group B do not exceed the funds deposited into the Victim Compensation Fund and to ensure that the compensation of those claimants who suffer from the most debilitating physical conditions is prioritized to avoid undue burden on such claimants.