81 FR 92976 - Reimbursement for Caskets and Urns for Burial of Unclaimed Remains in a National Cemetery

DEPARTMENT OF VETERANS AFFAIRS

Federal Register Volume 81, Issue 244 (December 20, 2016)

Page Range		92976-92976
FR Document		2016-30510

The Department of Veterans Affairs (VA) is updating the monetary reimbursement rates for caskets and urns purchased for the interment in a VA national cemetery of Veterans who die with no known next of kin and where there are insufficient resources for furnishing a burial container. The purpose of this notice is to notify interested parties of the rates that will apply to reimbursement claims that occur during calendar year (CY) 2017.

Federal Register, Volume 81 Issue 244 (Tuesday, December 20, 2016)

[Federal Register Volume 81, Number 244 (Tuesday, December 20, 2016)]
[Notices]
[Page 92976]
From the Federal Register Online  [www.thefederalregister.org]
[FR Doc No: 2016-30510]


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DEPARTMENT OF VETERANS AFFAIRS


Reimbursement for Caskets and Urns for Burial of Unclaimed 
Remains in a National Cemetery

AGENCY: Department of Veterans Affairs.

ACTION: Notice.

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SUMMARY: The Department of Veterans Affairs (VA) is updating the 
monetary reimbursement rates for caskets and urns purchased for the 
interment in a VA national cemetery of Veterans who die with no known 
next of kin and where there are insufficient resources for furnishing a 
burial container. The purpose of this notice is to notify interested 
parties of the rates that will apply to reimbursement claims that occur 
during calendar year (CY) 2017.

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: Eric Axelbank, Budget Operations and 
Field Support Division, National Cemetery Administration, Department of 
Veterans Affairs, 810 Vermont Avenue NW., Washington, DC 20420. 
Telephone: (202) 632-7236 (this is not a toll-free number).

SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: Section 2306(f) of title 38, U.S.C., 
authorizes VA National Cemetery Administration (NCA) to furnish a 
casket or urn for interment in a VA national cemetery of the unclaimed 
remains of Veterans for whom VA cannot identify a next of kin and 
determines that sufficient financial resources for the furnishing of a 
casket or urn for burial are not available. VA implemented regulations 
to administer this authority as a reimbursement benefit in section 
38.628 of title 38, Code of Federal Regulations.
    Reimbursement for a claim received in any CY will not exceed the 
average cost of a 20-gauge metal casket or a durable plastic urn during 
the fiscal year (FY) preceding the CY of the claim. Average costs are 
determined by market analysis for 20-gauge metal caskets, designed to 
contain human remains, with a gasketed seal, and external rails or 
handles. The same analysis is completed for durable plastic urns, 
designed to contain human remains, which include a secure closure to 
contain the cremated remains.
    Using this method of computation, in FY 2016, the average costs for 
caskets were determined to be $2,069 and $163 for urns. Accordingly, 
the reimbursement rates payable for qualifying interments occurring 
during CY 2017 are $2,069 for caskets and $163 for urns.

Signing Authority

    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. Gina S. 
Farrisee, Deputy Chief of Staff, Department of Veterans Affairs, 
approved this document on December 13, 2016, for publication.

    Dated: December 13, 2016.
Jeffrey Martin,
Office Program Manager, Office of Regulation Policy & Management, 
Office of the Secretary, Department of Veterans Affairs.
[FR Doc. 2016-30510 Filed 12-19-16; 8:45 am]
 BILLING CODE 8320-01-P

$92976 Federal Register / Vol. 81, No. 244 / Tuesday, December 20, 2016 / Notices also receive updates from its Support Division, National Cemetery designed to contain human remains, subcommittees. Administration, Department of Veterans which include a secure closure to Affairs, 810 Vermont Avenue NW., contain the cremated remains. Michael T. McRaith, Washington, DC 20420. Telephone: Using this method of computation, in Director, Federal Insurance Office. (202) 632–7236 (this is not a toll-free FY 2016, the average costs for caskets [FR Doc. 2016–30632 Filed 12–19–16; 8:45 am] number). were determined to be $2,069 and $163 BILLING CODE 4810–25–P SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: Section for urns. Accordingly, the 2306(f) of title 38, U.S.C., authorizes VA reimbursement rates payable for National Cemetery Administration qualifying interments occurring during DEPARTMENT OF VETERANS CY 2017 are $2,069 for caskets and $163 AFFAIRS (NCA) to furnish a casket or urn for interment in a VA national cemetery of for urns. Reimbursement for Caskets and Urns the unclaimed remains of Veterans for Signing Authority for Burial of Unclaimed Remains in a whom VA cannot identify a next of kin National Cemetery and determines that sufficient financial The Secretary of Veterans Affairs, or resources for the furnishing of a casket designee, approved this document and AGENCY: Department of Veterans Affairs. authorized the undersigned to sign and or urn for burial are not available. VA ACTION: Notice. implemented regulations to administer submit the document to the Office of the this authority as a reimbursement Federal Register for publication SUMMARY: The Department of Veterans benefit in section 38.628 of title 38, electronically as an official document of Affairs (VA) is updating the monetary Code of Federal Regulations. the Department of Veterans Affairs. Gina reimbursement rates for caskets and S. Farrisee, Deputy Chief of Staff, urns purchased for the interment in a Reimbursement for a claim received Department of Veterans Affairs, VA national cemetery of Veterans who in any CY will not exceed the average approved this document on December die with no known next of kin and cost of a 20-gauge metal casket or a where there are insufficient resources 13, 2016, for publication. durable plastic urn during the fiscal for furnishing a burial container. The year (FY) preceding the CY of the claim. Dated: December 13, 2016. purpose of this notice is to notify Average costs are determined by market Jeffrey Martin, interested parties of the rates that will analysis for 20-gauge metal caskets, Office Program Manager, Office of Regulation apply to reimbursement claims that designed to contain human remains, Policy & Management, Office of the Secretary, occur during calendar year (CY) 2017. with a gasketed seal, and external rails Department of Veterans Affairs. FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: Eric or handles. The same analysis is [FR Doc. 2016–30510 Filed 12–19–16; 8:45 am] Axelbank, Budget Operations and Field completed for durable plastic urns, BILLING CODE 8320–01–P mstockstill on DSK3G9T082PROD with NOTICES VerDate Sep<11>2014 19:36 Dec 19, 2016 Jkt 241001 PO 00000 Frm 00207 Fmt 4703 Sfmt 9990 E:\FR\FM\20DEN1.SGM 20DEN1$

Document Created: 2018-02-14 09:09:40
Document Modified: 2018-02-14 09:09:40

Category		Regulatory Information
Collection		Federal Register
sudoc Class		AE 2.7: GS 4.107: AE 2.106:
Publisher		Office of the Federal Register, National Archives and Records Administration
Section		Notices
Action		Notice.
Contact		Eric Axelbank, Budget Operations and Field Support Division, National Cemetery Administration, Department of Veterans Affairs, 810 Vermont Avenue NW., Washington, DC 20420. Telephone: (202) 632-7236 (this is not a toll-free number).
FR Citation		81 FR 92976