Source: https://www.federalregister.gov/documents/2013/07/16/2013-16978/medications-prescribed-by-non-va-providers
Timestamp: 2018-03-24 19:03:52
Document Index: 310864525

Matched Legal Cases: ['§\u200917', '§\u200917', '§\u200917', '§\u200917', '§\u200917', '§\u20093', '§\u20093']

Federal Register :: Medications Prescribed by Non-VA Providers
A Rule by the Veterans Affairs Department on 07/16/2013
VA-2013-VHA-0014
AO77 - Final Rule - Medications Prescribed by Non-VA Providers
https://www.federalregister.gov/d/2013-16978 https://www.federalregister.gov/d/2013-16978
Under 38 U.S.C. 1712(d), VA is required to furnish prescription drugs and medicine ordered by a duly licensed physician to a veteran as a specific therapy in the treatment of any illness or injury suffered by a veteran who is receiving increased compensation under 38 U.S.C. chapter 11 or increased pension as a veteran of a period of war, by reason of being permanently housebound or in need of regular aid and attendance. VA implemented this authority in 38 CFR 17.96(a)(1), which authorizes VA pharmacies (or non-VA pharmacies in State homes under contract with VA for filling prescriptions for patients in State homes) to fill prescriptions ordered by duly licensed providers not employed by VA for the cohort of veterans described in the statute. In order to assist in identifying wartime veterans in receipt of increased pension, the language of § 17.96(a)(1) listed those periods of war recognized at the time of its publication, which were the Mexican Border Period, World War I, World War II, the Korean Conflict, or the Vietnam Era. In contrast, the statutory authority for this regulation, 38 U.S.C. 1712(d), refers only to “a veteran of a period of war,” without setting forth specific periods by name. Since this regulation was published, the United States has become engaged in additional conflicts. Because VA does not intend to deny these prescription services to veterans of later periods of war and has not done so, we are revising this regulation.
“Period of war” is defined in 38 U.S.C. 101(11) to mean “the Spanish-American War, the Mexican border period, World War I, World War II, the Korean conflict, the Vietnam era, the Persian Gulf War, and the period beginning on the date of any future declaration of war by the Congress and ending on the date prescribed by Presidential proclamation or concurrent resolution of the Congress.” In order to ensure that our regulation comports with the statutory mandate that VA fill prescriptions for all increased pension recipients who are veterans of a period of war, including current and future periods of war, we are revising § 17.96(a)(1) to cross-reference the statute, rather than list each period of war. We are also revising the authority citation at the end of § 17.96. We are not making any other changes to the text in § 17.96.
The Secretary of Veterans Affairs (Secretary) finds good cause under the provisions of 5 U.S.C. 553(b)(B) to publish this rule without prior opportunity for public comment. This amendment merely revises VA's regulation to comply with a statutory mandate that VA provide medications prescribed by non-VA providers to increased pension recipients who are veterans who served in wars after Vietnam under the same conditions as those who served in earlier periods of war. Therefore, a prior opportunity for notice and comment is unnecessary. Additionally, for the reason previously stated, the Secretary finds good cause to dispense with the delayed-effective-date requirement of 5 U.S.C. 553(d).Start Printed Page 42456
The Secretary hereby certifies that this final rule will not have a significant economic impact on a substantial number of small entities as they are defined in the Regulatory Flexibility Act, 5 U.S.C. 601-612. This final rule will directly affect only VA pharmacies and non-VA pharmacies in State homes under contract with VA for filling prescriptions for their patients. The State homes that are subject to this rulemaking are State government entities under the control of State governments. All State homes are owned, operated and managed by State governments except for a small number that are operated by entities under contract with State governments. These contractors are not small entities. Moreover, the impact of this rulemaking on these entities will be minimal because the rulemaking affects only certain wartime veterans in receipt of pension and merely authorizes VA to provide prescriptions for such veterans. Therefore, pursuant to 5 U.S.C. 605(b), this rulemaking is exempt from the initial and final regulatory flexibility analysis requirements of 5 U.S.C. 603 and 604.
The Catalog of Federal Domestic Assistance numbers and titles for the programs affected by this final rule are 64.007, Blind Rehabilitation Centers; 64.008, Veterans Domiciliary Care; 64.009, Veterans Medical Care Benefits; 64.010, Veterans Nursing Home Care; 64.011, Veterans Dental Care; 64.012, Veterans Prescription Service; 64.013, Veterans Prosthetic Appliances; 64.014, Veterans State Domiciliary Care; 64.015, Veterans State Nursing Home Care; 64.018, Sharing Specialized Medical Resources; 64.019, Veterans Rehabilitation Alcohol and Drug Dependence; and 64.022, Veterans Home Based Primary Care.
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. Jose D. Riojas, Interim Chief of Staff, approved this document on July 9, 2013, for publication.
2. Revise § 17.96(a)(1) and the authority citation at the end of the section to read as follows:
(1) A veteran who by reason of being permanently housebound or in need of regular aid and attendance is in receipt of increased compensation under 38 U.S.C. chapter 11, or increased pension under § 3.1(u) (Section 306 Pension) or § 3.1(w) (Improved Pension), of this chapter, as a veteran of a period of war as defined by 38 U.S.C. 101(11) (or, although eligible for such pension, is in receipt of compensation as the greater benefit), or
(Authority 38 U.S.C. 101(11), 1706, 1710, 1712(d))
[FR Doc. 2013-16978 Filed 7-15-13; 8:45 am]