Program of Comprehensive Assistance for Family Caregivers (PCAFC) Decision Appeal Forms

Forms and Documents

Forms and supporting documents for this ICR

Document	Type	Status	Availability
Form 10-307 VA From 10-307: PCAFC Notice of Disagreement (NOD)	Form and Instruction	Modified	Repair queued
Form 10-306 VA Form 10-306: Request for Information About PCAFC Decisions	Form and Instruction	Modified	Repair queued
CSP Response to Comments OMB 2900-0894 6 1 2022.docx.pdf	Supplementary Document	Uploaded 2022-06-03	Repair queued
30-day FRN_PCAFC Decision Appeal Forms_2900-0894_published 05102022.pdf	Supplementary Document	Uploaded 2022-05-27	Repair queued
60-day FRN_PCAFC Decision Appeal Forms_2900-0894_published 03032022.pdf	Supplementary Document	Uploaded 2022-05-04	Repair queued
Supporting Statement A_PCAFC Decision Appeal Forms_Regular PRA Clearance_updated May 2022.docx	Supporting Statement A	Uploaded 2022-05-27	Repair queued

IC Document Collections

Information collection document groups

IC ID	Collection	Type	Status	Form
249878	VA From 10-307: PCAFC Notice of Disagreement (NOD)	Form and Instruction	Modified
249877	VA Form 10-306: Request for Information About PCAFC Decisions	Form and Instruction	Modified

ICR Details

OMB Control No: 2900-0894	ICR Reference No: 202202-2900-004
Status: Received in OIRA	Previous ICR Reference No: 202110-2900-006
Agency/Subagency: VA	Agency Tracking No: 2900-0894
Title: Program of Comprehensive Assistance for Family Caregivers (PCAFC) Decision Appeal Forms
Type of Information Collection: Reinstatement without change of a previously approved collection	Common Form ICR:  No
Type of Review Request: Regular	Date Submitted to OIRA: 06/06/2022

table that charts list comparision

	Requested	Previously Approved
Expiration Date	36 Months From Approved
Responses	267,540	0
Time Burden (Hours)	88,270	0
Cost Burden (Dollars)	0	0

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Abstract: The Caregivers and Veterans Omnibus Health Services Act of 2010 (P.L. 111-163) established 38 U.S.C. 1720G, which directed the Department of Veterans Affairs (VA) to establish a Program of Comprehensive Assistance for Family Caregivers (PCAFC) and a Program of General Caregiver Support Services (PGCSS). Both programs are managed by VA’s Caregiver Support Program (CSP) Office. Since program inception, Veterans and caregivers who disagree with a PCAFC decision were afforded the right to appeal through the Veterans Health Administration (VHA) Clinical Appeals Process. A recent Court ruling has changed the appeal and review options now available to individuals who have received a PCAFC decision and disagree with that decision. On April 19, 2021, in the case of Jeremy Beaudette & Maya Beaudette v. Denis McDonough, Secretary of Veterans Affairs, the U.S. Court of Appeals for Veterans Claims ruled in favor of petitioners seeking review by the Board of Veterans’ Appeals (BVA or Board) of decisions under the PCAFC. The Court also certified, as a class, claimants who received an adverse benefits decision under PCAFC, exhausted the administrative review process within VHA (the VHA Clinical Appeals Process), and have not been afforded the right to appeal to the Board. As a result of the Court’s ruling, BVA review is now available to individuals who have received a decision under the PCAFC since the program began in May 2011. Consequently, VA has expanded options available to Veterans and caregivers who seek review of or to appeal a PCAFC decision. On February 19, 2019, VA implemented the Veterans Appeals Improvement and Modernization Act of 2017 (AMA), which significantly changed the VA benefits appeals process. Under AMA, claimants have the choice of three decision review options: Supplemental Claim; Higher-Level Review; and Board Appeal. The Supplemental Claim option allows a claimant to submit new and relevant evidence for review in support of their claim. The Higher-Level Review option allows a claimant, without submitting new evidence, to request a new review of the previous decision by an experienced adjudicator. The Board Appeal option allows a claimant to appeal directly to the Board where a Veterans Law Judge will review the decision. AMA appeal and review processes are available for PCAFC decisions issued on or after February 19, 2019. A separate appeals process (legacy) must be used to appeal to the Board regarding PCAFC decisions issued before February 19, 2019. As part of VA’s operational plan to implement the Beaudette decision, including to address appeals of decisions prior to February 19, 2019, VA developed the two forms in this Information Collection (IC). VA’s development of the two forms is explicitly required by a Court-approved joint notice plan in Beaudette, which was finalized by the parties and approved by the Court in August 2021. VA Form 10-306, Request for Information About Program of Comprehensive Assistance for Family Caregivers (PCAFC) Decisions, is necessary to provide a means for claimants to request information about any PCAFC decision VA issued to them, regardless of when such decision was made. VA Form 10-307, Program of Comprehensive Assistance for Family Caregivers (PCAFC) Notice of Disagreement (NOD), is specific to PCAFC decisions rendered prior to February 19, 2019.

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Authorizing Statute(s): US Code: 38 USC 1720G Name of Law: Program of Comprehensive Assistance for Family Caregivers (PCAFC) and (PGCSS)
   PL: Pub.L. 111 - 163 101 Name of Law: Caregivers and Veterans Omnibus Health Services Act of 2010
  

Citations for New Statutory Requirements: None

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Associated Rulemaking Information
RIN:	Stage of Rulemaking:	Federal Register Citation:	Date:
	Not associated with rulemaking

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Federal Register Notices & Comments
60-day Notice:	Federal Register Citation:	Citation Date:
	87 FR 12223	03/03/2022
30-day Notice:	Federal Register Citation:	Citation Date:
	87 FR 28104	05/10/2022
Did the Agency receive public comments on this ICR? Yes

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Number of Information Collection (IC) in this ICR: 2

table that charts list of burden

IC Title	Form No.	Form Name
VA Form 10-306: Request for Information About PCAFC Decisions	10-306	Request for Information About PCAFC Decisions
VA From 10-307: PCAFC Notice of Disagreement (NOD)	10-307	PCAFC Notice of Disagreement (NOD)

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ICR Summary of Burden

table that charts list of burden

	Total Request	Previously Approved	Change Due to New Statute	Change Due to Agency Discretion	Change Due to Adjustment in Estimate	Change Due to Potential Violation of the PRA
Annual Number of Responses	267,540	0	0	0	0	267,540
Annual Time Burden (Hours)	88,270	0	0	0	0	88,270
Annual Cost Burden (Dollars)	0	0	0	0	0	0

Burden increases because of Program Change due to Agency Discretion: No

Burden Increase Due to:

Burden decreases because of Program Change due to Agency Discretion: No

Burden Reduction Due to:

Short Statement:

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Annual Cost to Federal Government: $15,476,495

Does this IC contain surveys, censuses, or employ statistical methods? No

Does this ICR request any personally identifiable information (see OMB Circular No. A-130 for an explanation of this term)? Please consult with your agency's privacy program when making this determination.     Yes

Does this ICR include a form that requires a Privacy Act Statement (see 5 U.S.C. §552a(e)(3))? Please consult with your agency's privacy program when making this determination.     Yes

Is this ICR related to the Affordable Care Act [Pub. L. 111-148 & 111-152]? No

Is this ICR related to the Dodd-Frank Wall Street Reform and Consumer Protection Act, [Pub. L. 111-203]? No

Is this ICR related to the American Recovery and Reinvestment Act of 2009 (ARRA)? No

Is this ICR related to the Pandemic Response? No

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Common Form ICR:  No

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On behalf of this Federal agency, I certify that the collection of information encompassed by this request complies with 5 CFR 1320.9 and the related provisions of 5 CFR 1320.8(b)(3).

The following is a summary of the topics, regarding the proposed collection of information, that the certification covers:

(a) It is necessary for the proper performance of agency functions;

(b) It avoids unnecessary duplication;

(c) It reduces burden on small entities;

(d) It uses plain, coherent, and unambiguous language that is understandable to respondents;

(e) Its implementation will be consistent and compatible with current reporting and recordkeeping practices;

(f) It indicates the retention periods for recordkeeping requirements;

(g) It informs respondents of the information called for under 5 CFR 1320.8 (b)(3) about:

(i) Why the information is being collected;

(ii) Use of information;

(iii) Burden estimate;

(iv) Nature of response (voluntary, required for a benefit, or mandatory);

(v) Nature and extent of confidentiality; and

(vi) Need to display currently valid OMB control number;

(h) It was developed by an office that has planned and allocated resources for the efficient and effective management and use of the information to be collected.

(i) It uses effective and efficient statistical survey methodology (if applicable); and

(j) It makes appropriate use of information technology.

If you are unable to certify compliance with any of these provisions, identify the item by leaving the box unchecked and explain the reason in the Supporting Statement.

Certification Date: 06/06/2022

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