[Federal Register Volume 61, Number 132 (Tuesday, July 9, 1996)]
[Notices]
[Pages 36108-36109]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 96-17365]


=======================================================================
-----------------------------------------------------------------------

[[Page 36109]]

DEPARTMENT OF VETERANS AFFAIRS


Veterans' Claims Adjudication Commission; Notice of Public 
Meeting

    The Department of Veterans Affairs (VA), in accordance with Public 
Law 92-463, gives notice that the Veterans' Claims Adjudication 
Commission will conduct its eighth public meeting on Tuesday, July 16, 
and Wednesday, July 17, 1996, at the Department of Veterans Affairs 
Central Office, 810 Vermont Avenue, NW., Room 230, Washington, DC. The 
Commission will meet from 8:30 a.m. to 4:30 p.m. on both days.
    This public meeting will focus mainly on discussion and 
consideration of proposed findings, conclusions, and recommendations, 
which have originated from the Commission's new areas of pursuit.
    On July 16, the Commission will begin to discuss and consider 
proposed findings, conclusions, and recommendations generated from new 
areas of pursuit including:

<bullet> Strategic Management Planning--Setting strategic goals and 
embracing the accelerated development and integrated strategic 
management process;
<bullet> Adjudication and Appeals Issues--Redesigning the adjudication 
and appeals process to make it more functional, fair, and efficient;
<bullet> Disability Compensation Advisory Committee--Establishing an 
Advisory Committee which reports to the Secretary of Veterans Affairs 
regarding disability compensation issues;
<bullet> Annual Report on VA's Disability Compensation Program--
Developing an annual report which provides comprehensive information to 
be used in the long-term management of the program; and
<bullet> Medical Examinations--Assessing the military separation 
examination test to effect changes that will benefit servicemembers and 
veterans.

    At the end of the day, the Commission will receive an update from 
the Veterans Benefits Administration's Business Process Reengineering 
(BPR) Team.
    On Wednesday, July 17, the Commission will continue to discuss and 
consider proposed findings, conclusions, and recommendations from new 
areas of pursuit including:

<bullet> VA Disability Compensation and Commercial Disability Insurance 
Comparisons--Consideration of program and administrative practices of 
commercial insurers for possible adoption or adaptation by VA;
<bullet> Lump Sum Compensation Benefits at Lower Disability Levels--
Revising the payment system to ``free-up'' time and resources so that 
the needs of more severely disabled veterans could be better served;
<bullet> VA Pension Program/Supplemental Security Income Program 
Relationship--Determining the relationship between the VA Pension 
Program and the Supplemental Security Income Program;
<bullet> VA Pension Reform--Reform and streamline the Pension Program 
to reduce the confusion and burden on the veteran and VA;
<bullet> Claims Intake Issues--Simplifying the application form and 
claims filing procedures, in addition to developing cooperative 
strategies with Veterans Service Organizations to encourage the 
submission of fully supported claims; and
<bullet> Other Relevant Issues--Issues on which the Commission will not 
take a formal position/make a formal recommendation, such as the lack 
of closure for VA compensation claims, and reevaluating the purpose of 
the rating schedule.

    The meeting is open to the public; however, no time is allocated 
for the purpose of receiving oral presentations from the public. The 
Commission will accept appropriate written comments from interested 
parties on the subject matter addressed during the meeting. Such 
comments may be referred to the Commission at the following address: 
Veterans' Claims Adjudication Commission (20C), U.S. Department of 
Veterans Affairs, 810 Vermont Ave., NW., Washington, DC 20420.
    Additional information concerning this meeting may be obtained by 
contacting the Commission at (202) 275-2142.

    Dated: June 26, 1996.

    By Direction of the Secretary.
Heyward Bannister,
Committee Management Officer.
[FR Doc. 96-17365 Filed 7-8-96; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 8320-01-M