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###### Department of Veterans Affairs

          - [OMB Control No. 2900-0629]

# AGENCY:

Veterans Health Administration, Department of Veterans Affairs.

# ACTION:

Notice.

# SUMMARY:

                        Veterans Health Administration (VHA), Department of Veterans Affairs (VA), is announcing an opportunity for public comment on the proposed collection of certain information by the agency. Under the Paperwork Reduction Act (PRA) of 1995, Federal agencies are required to publish notice in the                         **Federal Register**                         concerning each proposed collection of information, including each proposed extension of a currently approved collection, and allow 60 days for public comment in response to the notice.                    

# DATES:

 Comments must be received on or before February 24, 2025.

# ADDRESSES:

                        Comments must be submitted through                         *www.regulations.gov.*

# FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT:

*Program-Specific information:*                         Rebecca Mimnall, 202-695-9434,                         *vhacopra@va.gov.*

*VA PRA information:*                         Maribel Aponte, 202-461-8900,                         *vacopaperworkreduact@va.gov.*

# SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION:

Under the PRA of 1995, Federal agencies must obtain approval from the Office of Management and Budget (OMB) for each collection of information they conduct or sponsor. This request for comment is being made pursuant to Section 3506(c)(2)(A) of the PRA.

                    With respect to the following collection of information, VHA invites comments on: (1) whether the proposed collection of information is necessary                           ( print page 105178)                        for the proper performance of VHA's functions, including whether the information will have practical utility; (2) the accuracy of VHA's estimate of the burden of the proposed collection of information; (3) ways to enhance the quality, utility, and clarity of the information to be collected; and (4) ways to minimize the burden of the collection of information on respondents, including through the use of automated collection techniques or the use of other forms of information technology.                

*Title:*                     Application for Extended Care Services (VA Form 10-10EC).                

*OMB Control Number:*                     2900-0629.                     *https://www.reginfo.gov/​public/​do/​PRASearch*                     (Once at this link, you can enter the OMB Control Number to find the historical versions of this Information Collection).                

*Type of Review:*                     Revision of a currently approved collection.                

*Abstract:*                     Title 38 U.S.C. chapter 17 authorizes VA to provide hospital care, medical services, domiciliary care, and nursing home care to eligible Veterans. Title 38 U.S.C. 1705 requires VA to design, establish, and operate a system of annual patient enrollment in accordance with a series of stipulated priorities. A consequence of this is that many groups of Veterans who are in a lower priority group (WWI Veterans, Veterans with disabilities rated as 0% service-connected seeking treatment for other than their service-connected conditions, Veterans exposed to a toxic substance, radiation, or environmental hazard and nonservice-connected Veterans) may request that they be allowed to be income tested in order to gain a higher priority. Title 38 U.S.C. 1722 establishes eligibility assessment procedures for cost-free VA medical care, based on income levels, which will determine whether nonservice-connected and 0% service-connected non-compensable Veterans are able to defray the necessary expenses of care for nonservice-connected conditions. Title 38 U.S.C. 1722A establishes the eligibility assessment procedures, based on income levels, for determining Veterans' eligibility for cost-free medications. Title 38 U.S.C. 1710B defines the procedures for establishing eligibility for cost-free Extended Care benefits. Title 38 U.S.C. 1729 authorizes VA to recover from Veterans' health insurance carriers the cost of care furnished for their nonservice-connected conditions.                

VA Form 10-10EC, Application for Extended Care Services, is used to collect financial information necessary to determine a Veteran's copayment obligation for extended care services, also known as long term care (LTC). The 10-10EC design has been revised to clarify the instructions and make it easier to understand and complete the form. However, there are no changes to the anticipated annual number of responses or burden hours for this information collection.

*Affected Public:*                     Individuals or Households.                

*Estimated Annual Burden:*                     3,000 hours.                

*Estimated Average Burden per Respondent:*                     90 minutes.                

*Frequency of Response:*                     Once annually.                

*Estimated Number of Respondents:*                     2,000.                

                        (Authority: 44 U.S.C. 3501*et seq.*)                    

Maribel Aponte,

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

[FR Doc. 2024-30639 Filed 12-23-24; 8:45 am]

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