65980 Federal Register / Vol. 70, No. 210 / Tuesday, November 1, 2005 / Notices 

DEPARTMENT OF THE TREASURY 

Fiscal Service 

Federal Debt Collection and Discount 

and Rebate Evaluation 

AGENCY: Financial Management Service, 

Fiscal Service, Treasury. 

ACTION: Notice of rate for use in Federal 

debt collection and discount and rebate 

evaluation. 

SUMMARY: Pursuant to Section 11 of the 

Debt Collection Act of 1982, as 

amended, (31 U.S.C. 3717), the 

Secretary of the Treasury is responsible 

for computing and publishing the 

percentage rate to be used in assessing 

interest charges for outstanding debts 

owed to the Government. Treasury’s 

Cash Management Requirements (1 TFM 

6–8000) prescribe use of this rate by 

agencies as a comparison point in 

evaluating the cost-effectiveness of a 

cash discount. In addition, 5 CFR Part 

1315.8 of the Prompt Payment rule on 

‘‘Rebates’’ requires that this rate be used 

in determining when agencies should 

pay purchase card invoices when the 

card issuer offers a rebate. Notice is 

hereby given that the applicable rate is 

2.00 percent for calendar year 2006. 

DATES: The rate will be in effect for the 

period beginning January 1, 2006, and 

ending on December 31, 2006. 

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: 

Inquiries should be directed to the 

Agency Enterprise Solutions Division, 

Financial Management Service, 

Department of the Treasury, 401 14th 

Street, SW., Washington, DC 20227 

(Telephone: 202–874–6650). 

SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: The rate 

reflects the current value of funds to the 

Treasury for use in connection with 

Federal Cash Management systems and 

is based on investment rates set for 

purposes of Pub. L. 95–147, 91 Stat. 

1227. Computed each year by averaging 

Treasury Tax and Loan (TT&L) 

investment rates for the 12-month 

period ending every September 30, 

rounded to the nearest whole 

percentage, for applicability effective 

each January 1, the rate is subject to 

quarterly revisions if the annual 

average, on a moving basis, changes by 

2 percentage points. The rate in effect 

for the calendar year 2006 reflects the 

average investment rates for the 12- 

month period that ended September 30, 

2005. 

Dated: October 19, 2005. 

Gary Grippo, 

Assistant Commissioner, Federal Finance. 

[FR Doc. 05–21700 Filed 10–31–05; 8:45 am] 

BILLING CODE 4810–35–M 

DEPARTMENT OF VETERANS 

AFFAIRS 

Annual Pay Ranges for Physicians and 

Dentists of the Veterans Health 

Administration (VHA) 

AGENCY: Department of Veterans Affairs. 

ACTION: Notice. 

SUMMARY: As required by the 

‘‘Department of Veterans Affairs Health 

Care Personnel Enhancement Act of 

2004’’ (Pub. L. 108–445, dated 

December 3, 2004) the Department of 

Veterans Affairs (VA) is hereby giving 

notice of annual pay ranges for Veterans 

Health Administration (VHA) 

physicians and dentists as prescribed by 

the Secretary for Department-wide 

applicability. The inception of these 

annual pay ranges enhances the 

flexibility of the Department to recruit, 

develop, and retain the most highly 

qualified providers to serve our Nation’s 

veterans and maintain a standard of 

excellence in the VA healthcare system. 

EFFECTIVE DATES: Annual pay ranges are 

effective on January 8, 2006. 

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: 

Donna R. Schroeder, Director, 

Compensation and Classification 

Service (055), Office of Human 

Resources Management and Labor 

Relations, Department of Veterans 

Affairs, 810 Vermont Avenue, NW., 

Washington, DC 20420, (202) 273–9803. 

SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: Under 38 

U.S.C. 7431(e)(1)(A), not less often than 

once every two years, the Secretary 

must prescribe for Department-wide 

applicability the minimum and 

maximum amounts of annual pay that 

may be paid to VHA physicians and 

dentists. Further, 38 U.S.C. 7431(e)(1)(B) 

allows the Secretary to prescribe 

separate minimum and maximum 

amounts of pay for a specialty or 

assignment. In construction of the 

annual pay ranges, 38 U.S.C. 

7431(c)(4)(A) required the consultation 

of two or more national surveys of pay 

for physicians and dentists, as 

applicable, whether prepared by private, 

public, or quasi-public entities in order 

to make a general assessment of the 

range of pays payable to physicians and 

dentists. Lastly, 38 U.S.C. 7431(e)(1)(C) 

states amounts prescribed under 

paragraph 7431(e) shall be published in 

the Federal Register, and shall not take 

effect until at least 60 days after date of 

publication. 

Background 

The ‘‘Department of Veterans Affairs 

Health Care Personnel Enhancement Act 

of 2004’’ (Pub. L. 108–445) was signed 

by the President on December 3, 2004. 

The major provisions of the law 

established a new pay system for 

Veterans Health Administration (VHA) 

physicians and dentists consisting of 

base pay, market pay, and performance 

pay. While the base pay component is 

set by statute, market pay is intended to 

reflect the recruitment and retention 

needs for the specialty or assignment of 

a particular physician or dentist at a 

facility. Further, performance pay is 

intended to recognize the achievement 

of specific goals and performance 

objectives prescribed annually. These 

three components create a system of pay 

that is driven by both market indicators 

and employee performance, while 

recognizing employee tenure in VHA. 

Discussion 

The Department of Veterans Affairs 

(VA) performed an extensive search of 

salary survey data for physicians and 

dentists. The result was a wealth of 

information in the field of 

compensation. Upon completion of the 

initial review of the data collected, VA 

utilized those sources which most 

closely represented VA comparability in 

the areas of practice setting, 

employment environment, and hospital/ 

healthcare system. Thus, the 

Association of American Medical 

Colleges (AAMC), Hospital and 

Healthcare Compensation Service 

(HHCS), Sullivan, Cotter, and Associates 

(S&C) and Physician Executive 

Management Center (PEMC), were 

collectively utilized as benchmarks from 

which to prescribe annual pay ranges 

for physicians and dentists across the 

scope of assignments/specialties within 

the Department. While aggregating the 

data, a preponderance of weight was 

given to those surveys which most 

directly resembled the environment of 

the Department. 

An analysis of the data produced the 

emergence of natural groupings for 

consideration in constructing annual 

pay ranges to accommodate the more 

than thirty specialties that currently 

exist in the VA system. The benefit of 

grouping specialties into consolidated 

pay ranges allows VA to use multiple 

sources that yield a high number of 

physician salary data which helps to 

minimize disparities and aberrations 

that may surface from data involving 

smaller numbers of physicians and 

dentists for comparison and from 

sample change from year to year. Thus, 

by aggregating multiple survey sources 

into like groupings, greater confidence 

exists that the average compensation 

reported is truly representative. In 

addition, aggregation of data provides 

for a large enough sample size and 

provides pay range with maximum 

Federal Register / Vol. 70, No. 210 / Tuesday, November 1, 2005 / Notices 65981 

flexibility for pay setting for the more 

than 15,000 VHA physicians and 

dentists. 

In developing the annual pay ranges, 

a few distinctive principles were 

factored into the compensation analysis 

of the data. The first principle is to 

ensure that both the minimum and 

maximum salary is at a level that 

accommodates special employment 

situations, from fellowships and 

medical research career development 

awards to Nobel Laureates, high-cost 

areas, and internationally renowned 

clinicians. The second principle, to 

attempt to establish a rate range of +/¥ 

25 percent of the mean, is imperative to 

provide ranges large enough to 

accommodate career progression, 

geographic differences, subspecialization, and special factors. This 

principle is also the standard 

recommended by World@Work for 

professional compensation ranges. 

All clinical specialities for VHA 

physicians and dentists were reviewed 

against relevant private sector data. The 

specialties were grouped into four 

clinical pay ranges that reflect 

comparable complexity in salary, 

recruitment, and retention 

considerations. Two additional pay 

ranges were compiled for VHA Chiefs of 

Staff and physicians and dentists in 

executive level administrative 

assignments at the facility, network, or 

headquarters level. 

PAY TABLE 1.—CLINICAL SPECIALTY

Tier level Minimum Maximum 

Tier 1 ................ $90,000 $175,000 

Tier 2 ................ 110,000 200,000 

Tier 3 ................ 120,000 215,000 

Tier 4 ................ 130,000 225,000 

PAY TABLE 1.—COVERED CLINICAL

SPECIALTIES

Admitting Physician. 

Allergy and Immunology. 

Endocrinology. 

Geriatrics. 

Infectious Diseases. 

Internal Medicine/Primary Care/Family Practice. 

PAY TABLE 1.—COVERED CLINICAL

SPECIALTIES—Continued 

Neurology. 

Preventive Medicine. 

Psychiatry. 

Rheumatology. 

General Practice—Dentistry. 

Endodontics. 

Periodontics. 

Prosthodontics. 

Assignments that do not require a specific 

specialty. 

PAY TABLE 2.—CLINICAL SPECIALTY

Tier level Minimum Maximum 

Tier 1 ................ $90,000 $200,000 

Tier 2 ................ 115,000 215,000 

Tier 3 ................ 130,000 225,000 

Tier 4 ................ 140,000 235,000 

PAY TABLE 2.—COVERED CLINICAL

SPECIALTIES

Dermatology. 

Emergency Medicine. 

Gastroenterology. 

Gynecology. 

Hematology—Oncology. 

Nephrology. 

Nuclear Medicine. 

Ophthamology. 

Pathology. 

Physical Medicine & Rehabilitation/Physiatry/ 

Spinal Cord Injury. 

Pulmonary. 

Oral Surgery. 

PAY TABLE 3.—CLINICAL SPECIALTY

Tier Level Minimum Maximum 

Tier 1 ................ $90,000 $220,000 

Tier 2 ................ 120,000 230,000 

Tier 3 ................ 135,000 240,000 

Tier 4 ................ 145,000 250,000 

PAY TABLE 3.—COVERED CLINICAL

SPECIALTIES

Cardiology. 

General Surgery. 

Otolaryngology. 

Urology. 

PAY TABLE 4.—CLINICAL SPECIALTY

Tier Level Minimum Maximum 

Tier 1 ................ $90,000 $255,000 

Tier 2 ................ 125,000 275,000 

Tier 3 ................ 140,000 285,000 

Tier 4 ................ 150,000 295,000 

PAY TABLE 4.—COVERED CLINICAL

SPECIALTIES

Anesthesiology. 

Cardio-Thoracic Surgery. 

Neurosurgery. 

Orthopedic Surgery. 

Plastic Surgery. 

Radiology. 

Vascular Surgery. 

PAY TABLE 5.—CHIEF OF STAFF

Tier Level Minimum Maximum 

Tier 1 ................ $150,000 $260,000 

Tier 2 ................ 145,000 240,000 

Tier 3 ................ 140,000 220,000 

PAY TABLE 6.—EXECUTIVE

ASSIGNMENTS

Tier Level Minimum Maximum 

Tier 1 ................ $110,000 $230,000 

Tier 2 ................ 110,000 250,000 

PAY TABLE 6.—COVERED EXECUTIVE

ASSIGNMENTS

Chief Officer. 

Deputy Under Secretary for Health. 

Facility Director. 

Network Chief Medical Officer. 

Network Director. 

VA Central Office Physician. 

VA Central Office Dentist. 

Dated: October 25, 2005. 

R. James Nicholson, 

Secretary of Veterans Affairs. 

[FR Doc. 05–21640 Filed 10–31–05; 8:45 am] 

BILLING CODE 8320–01–M