50540 Federal Register / Vol. 76, No. 157 / Monday, August 15, 2011 / Notices 

Transportation Statistics, Attention: 

Courtney Freiberg, 1200 New Jersey 

Avenue, SE., Room # E34–429, 

Washington, DC 20590, 

Courtney.Freiberg@dot.gov, or faxed to 

(202) 366–3640. BTS requests that 

written comments be received by 

September 15, 2011. Access to the DOT 

Headquarters building is controlled 

therefore all persons who plan to attend 

the meeting must notify Mrs. Courtney 

Freiberg at 202–366–1270 prior to 

September 15, 2011. Individuals 

attending the meeting must report to the 

main DOT entrance on New Jersey 

Avenue, SE. for admission to the 

building. Attendance is open to the 

public, but limited space is available. 

Persons with a disability requiring 

special services, such as an interpreter 

for the hearing impaired, should contact 

Mrs. Freiberg at 202–366–1270 at least 

seven calendar days prior to the 

meeting. 

Notice of this meeting is provided in 

accordance with the FACA and the 

General Services Administration 

regulations (41 CFR part 102–3) 

covering management of Federal 

advisory committees. 

Issued in Washington, DC, on the 1st day 

of August 2011. 

Steven K. Smith, 

Deputy Director, Bureau of Transportation 

Statistics. 

[FR Doc. 2011–20674 Filed 8–12–11; 8:45 am] 

BILLING CODE 4910–HY–P 

DEPARTMENT OF VETERANS 

AFFAIRS 

Pilot Program of Enhanced Contract 

Care Authority for Veterans in Highly 

Rural Areas 

AGENCY: Department of Veterans Affairs. 

ACTION: Notice. 

SUMMARY: The Department of Veterans 

Affairs (VA) is implementing § 403 of 

Public Law (Pub. L.) 110–387, 

‘‘Veterans’ Mental Health and Other 

Care Improvements Act of 2008,’’ which 

requires VA to establish a pilot program 

to contract with non-VA health care 

providers to provide health services to 

highly rural veterans. This program will 

assist veterans who often have great 

difficulty obtaining VA health care due 

to physical distance to VA facilities. 

DATES: Effective Date: This notice is 

effective August 15, 2011. 

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: 

Patricia Suh, Department of Veterans 

Affairs, 810 Vermont Ave, NW., 

Washington, DC 20420, (202) 461–7157. 

(This is not a toll-free number.) 

SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: Section 

308 of Public Law 111–163, the 

‘‘Caregivers and Veterans Omnibus 

Health Services Act of 2010,’’ amended 

the ‘‘Veterans’ Mental Health and Other 

Care Improvements Act of 2008,’’ Public 

Law 110–387, § 403, which had required 

VA to establish a pilot program under 

which we provide covered health 

services to eligible veterans through 

qualifying non-VA health care 

providers. Based on the amendments 

made by § 308, VA can immediately 

implement the pilot program. This 

notice will describe how VA will 

implement the program. 

Pursuant to the authorizing 

legislation, VA will contract with 

medical professionals to provide care to 

covered veterans, as defined by § 403(b), 

as amended. Under § 403(b), a covered 

veteran is any enrolled veteran as of the 

date of the commencement of the pilot 

program or eligible under section 

1710(e)(3) of Title 38, who resides in a 

location that is ‘‘more than 60 minutes 

driving distance from the nearest 

Department health care facility 

providing primary care services, if the 

veteran is seeking such services; more 

than 120 minutes driving distance from 

the nearest Department health care 

facility providing acute hospital care, if 

the veteran is seeking such care; or more 

than 240 minutes driving distance from 

the nearest Department health care 

facility providing tertiary care, if the 

veteran is seeking such care.’’ 

Under § 403(d), VA must determine 

whether a particular entity or individual 

is qualified to furnish health care 

through the pilot program. VA will 

determine that an entity or individual is 

qualified to provide care through the 

pilot program using the contracting 

process. Contracts under the pilot 

program will specify that the entity or 

individual must meet specified, 

appropriate credentialing, patient safety, 

and quality requirements and standards 

identified in the solicitation package. 

These requirements and standards will 

be as similar as possible to the 

requirements and standards generally 

used by VA when VA contracts for nonVA care. This is consistent with the 

legislation, which requires VA to use 

contracts in order to arrange for the 

provision of care through the pilot 

program. See Public Law 110–387, 

§ 403(f). 

Section 403(a)(4) of Public Law 110– 

387 establishes specific criteria for the 

selection of five Veterans Integrated 

Service Networks (VISNs) in which VA 

is authorized to conduct the pilot 

program. These specific, congressionally 

mandated criteria eliminate from 

consideration all but the following five 

VISNs: VISNs 1, 6, 15, 18, and 19. 

Pursuant to Public Law 110–387, 

§ 403(e), veteran participation in the 

program will be voluntary. The law 

requires VA to permit veterans to elect 

to receive covered services through this 

program ‘‘in such form * * * as the 

Secretary shall specify.’’ We have 

determined that all that is necessary is 

the veteran’s consent because VA will 

already be in possession of sufficient 

information to administer the pilot 

program for a specific veteran based on 

the veteran’s eligibility for VA health 

care. Veterans who wish to participate 

will need to provide a signed consent 

form which can be obtained by 

contacting VA health care facilities 

within VISNs 1, 6, 15, 18, and 19. 

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. John 

R. Gingrich, Chief of Staff, Department 

of Veterans Affairs, approved this 

document on September 23, 2010, for 

publication. 

Dated: August 10, 2011. 

William F. Russo, 

Deputy Director, Office of Regulation Policy 

& Management, Department of Veterans 

Affairs. 

[FR Doc. 2011–20675 Filed 8–12–11; 8:45 am] 

BILLING CODE 8320–01–P 


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