[Federal Register Volume 78, Number 220 (Thursday, November 14, 2013)]
[Rules and Regulations]
[Page 68364]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 2013-27218]


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DEPARTMENT OF VETERANS AFFAIRS

38 CFR Part 17

RIN 2900-AN98


Payment for Home Health Services and Hospice Care to Non-VA 
Providers; Delay of Effective Date

AGENCY: Department of Veterans Affairs.

ACTION: Final rule; delay of effective date.

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SUMMARY: The Department of Veterans Affairs (VA) published in the 
Federal Register on May 6, 2013 (78 FR 26250) a final rule to change 
the billing methodology for non-VA providers of home health services 
and hospice care. The preamble of that final rule stated the effective 
date was November 15, 2013. This document delays that effective date to 
April 1, 2014.

DATES: Effective Date: The effective date for the final rule published 
May 6, 2013, at 78 FR 26250, is delayed from November 15, 2013, until 
April 1, 2014.

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: Harold Bailey, Director of 
Administration, Department of Veterans Affairs, Veterans Health 
Administration, 3773 Cherry Creek Drive North, East Tower, Ste. 485, 
Denver, CO 80209, (303) 331-7829. (This is not a toll-free number.)

SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: This rulemaking makes the VA regulation 
governing payments for certain non-VA health care, 38 CFR 17.56, 
applicable to non-VA home health services and hospice care. Section 
17.56 provides, among other things, that Centers for Medicare and 
Medicaid (CMS) fee schedule or prospective payment system amounts will 
be paid to certain non-VA providers, unless VA negotiates other payment 
amounts with such providers. See 38 CFR 17.56(a)(2)(i). This change in 
the billing methodology for non-VA home health and hospice care was put 
forth in a proposed rule. We received one comment to this change and 
responded to that comment in a final rule published in the Federal 
Register on May 6, 2013 (78 FR 26250). The original effective date of 
the final rule was stated as November 15, 2013; however, we now delay 
the effective date of the final rule at 78 FR 26250 to the new 
effective date of April 1, 2014. The delay of the effective date is 
necessary to accommodate unforeseen difficulties in contracting and 
information technology procedures required to apply the billing 
methodology under Sec.  17.56 to non-VA home health services and 
hospice care. These difficulties relate to separate administration of 
hospice care and home health services by the Veterans Health 
Administration's Office of Geriatrics and Extended Care, which uses 
separate methods for forming agreements with non-VA providers for the 
provision of these services, and difficulties regarding information 
technology systems necessary to use the CMS rate made applicable under 
Sec.  17.36.

    Dated: November 8, 2013.
Robert C. McFetridge,
Director, Regulation Policy and Management, Office of the General 
Counsel, Department of Veterans Affairs.
[FR Doc. 2013-27218 Filed 11-13-13; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 8320-01-P