04-16703. Agency Information Collection Activities Under OMB Review

AGENCY:

Veterans Benefits 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 Benefits Administration (VBA), Department of Veterans Affairs, has submitted 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; it includes the actual data collection instrument.

DATES:

Comments must be submitted on or before August 23, 2004.

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT:

Denise McLamb, Records Management Service (005E3), 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-New.” Send comments and recommendations concerning any aspect of the information collection 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-New” in any correspondence.

SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION:

Title: Request for Nursing Home Information in Connection with Claim for Aid and Attendance, VA Form 21-0779.

OMB Control Number: 2900-New.

Type of Review: New collection.

Abstract: VA Form 21-0779 is used to gather the necessary information to determine eligibility and proper payment for improved pension and/ or aid and attendance for veterans who are patients in nursing homes. Parents and surviving spouses entitled to service-connected death benefits and spouses of living veterans receiving service connected compensation at 30 percent or higher are also entitled to aid and attendance based on status as nursing home patients.

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 May 5, 2004, at page 25172.

Affected Public: Business or other for-profit.

Estimated Annual Burden: 8,333 hours.

Estimated Average Burden Per Respondent: 10 minutes.

Frequency of Response: On occasion.

Estimated Number of Respondents: 50,000.

Dated: July 13, 2004.

By direction of the Secretary.

Loise Russell,

Director, Records Management Service.