2011-12138. Agency Information Collection (Regulation for Submission of Evidence); Activity Under OMB Review

AGENCY:

Veterans Health Administration, Department of Veterans Affairs.

ACTION:

Notice.

SUMMARY:

In compliance with the Paperwork Reduction Act (PRA) of 1995 (44 U.S.C. 3501-3521), 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 includes the actual data collection instrument.

DATES:

Comments must be submitted on or before June 17, 2011.

ADDRESSES:

Submit written comments on the collection of information through http://www.Regulations.gov or to VA's OMB Desk Officer, OMB Human Resources and Housing Branch, New Executive Office Building, Room 10235, Washington, DC 20503 [phone]. Please refer to “OMB Control No. 2900-0606” in any correspondence.

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT:

Denise McLamb, Enterprise Records Service (005R1B), Department of Veterans Affairs, 810 Vermont Avenue, NW., Washington, DC 20420, [phone], fax [phone] or e-mail [e-mail]. Please refer to “OMB Control No. 2900-0606.”

SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION:

Title: Regulation for Submission of Evidence—Title 38 CFR 17.101(a)(4).

OMB Control Number: 2900-0606.

Type of Review: Extension of a currently approved collection.

Abstract: Under the provisions of 38 CFR 17.101(a)(4), a third party payer that is liable for reimbursing VA for care and services VA provided to veterans with non-service-connected conditions continues to have the option of paying either the billed charges or the amount the health plan demonstrates it would pay to providers other than entities of the United States for the same care or services in the same geographic area. If the amount submitted by the health plan is less than the amount billed, VA will accept the submission as payment, subject to verification at VA's discretion. VA uses the information to determine whether the third-party payer has met the test of properly demonstrating its equivalent private sector provider payment amount for the same care or services VA provided.

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 on March 9, 2011, at pages 13022-13023.

Affected Public: Business or other for-profit.

Estimated Total Annual Burden: 800 hours.

Estimated Average Burden per Respondent: 2 hours.

Frequency of Response: On occasion.

Estimated Number of Respondents: 400.

Dated: May 12, 2011.

By direction of the Secretary.

Denise McLamb,

Program Analyst, Enterprise Records Service.