2021-11372. Agency Information Collection Activity Under OMB Review: Report of Medical, Legal and Other Expenses Incident to Recovery for Injury or Death

AGENCY:

Veterans Benefits Administration, Department of Veterans Affairs.

ACTION:

Notice.

SUMMARY:

In compliance with the Paperwork Reduction Act (PRA) of 1995, this notice announces that the Veterans Benefits 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:

Written comments and recommendations for the proposed information collection should be sent within 30 days of publication of this notice to www.reginfo.gov/​public/​do/​PRAMain. Find this particular information collection by selecting “Currently under 30-day Review—Open for Public Comments” or by using the search function. Refer to “OMB Control No. 2900-0545”.

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT:

Maribel Aponte, Office of Enterprise and Integration, Data Governance Analytics (008), 1717 H Street NW, Washington, DC 20006, [phone] or email [e-mail]. Please refer to “OMB Control No. 2900-0545” in any correspondence.

SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION:

Authority: 38 U.S.C 1503; 38 CFR 3.262, 3.271, 3.272.

Title: Report of Medical, Legal and Other Expenses Incident to Recovery for Injury or Death (VA Form 21P-8416b).

OMB Control Number: 2900-0545.

Type of Review: Extension of a currently approved collection.

Abstract: A claimant's eligibility for needs-based pension programs are determined in part by countable family income and certain deductible expenses. When a claimant is awarded compensation by another entity or government agency based on personal injury or death, the compensation is usually countable income for VA purposes (38 CFR 3.262(i)). However, medical, legal or other expenses incident to the injury or death, or incident to the collection or recovery of compensation, may be deducted from the amount of the award or settlement (38 CFR 3.271(g) and 3.272(g)). In these situations, VBA uses VA Form 21P-8416b Report of Medical, Legal and Other Expenses Incident to Recovery for Injury or Death, to gather information that is necessary to determine eligibility for income-based benefits and the rate payable; without this information, determination of eligibility would not be possible. In an effort to safeguard Veterans and their beneficiaries from financial exploitation, the instructions on VA Form 21P-8416b were amended to include information regarding VA-accredited attorneys or agents charging fees in connection with a proceeding before the Department of Veterans Affairs with respect to a claim.

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 17, 2021, page 14686.

Affected Public: Individuals or Households.

Estimated Annual Burden: 1,125 hours.

Estimated Average Burden per Respondent: 45 minutes.

Frequency of Response: Once.

Estimated Number of Respondents: 1,500.

By direction of the Secretary.

Dorothy Glasgow,

(Alternate) VA PRA Clearance Officer, Office of Enterprise and Integration, Data Governance Analytics, Department of Veterans Affairs.