83 FR 38663 - Schedule for Rating Disabilities: Skin; Correction

DEPARTMENT OF VETERANS AFFAIRS

Federal Register Volume 83, Issue 152 (August 7, 2018)

The Department of Veterans Affairs (VA) published a final rule amending its Schedule for Rating Disabilities regulations pertaining to the skin body system in the Federal Register on Friday, July 13, 2018. VA has since determined that certain language added to the final rule was unintended and could be construed to prevent appropriate disability compensation ratings from being assigned to veterans. Therefore, VA is issuing this technical correction to ensure that skin disabilities are rated correctly.

[Federal Register Volume 83, Number 152 (Tuesday, August 7, 2018)]
[Rules and Regulations]
[Page 38663]
From the Federal Register Online  [www.thefederalregister.org]
[FR Doc No: 2018-16859]


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DEPARTMENT OF VETERANS AFFAIRS

38 CFR Part 4

RIN 2900-AP27


Schedule for Rating Disabilities: Skin; Correction

AGENCY: Department of Veterans Affairs.

ACTION: Final rule; correction.

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SUMMARY: The Department of Veterans Affairs (VA) published a final rule 
amending its Schedule for Rating Disabilities regulations pertaining to 
the skin body system in the Federal Register on Friday, July 13, 2018. 
VA has since determined that certain language added to the final rule 
was unintended and could be construed to prevent appropriate disability 
compensation ratings from being assigned to veterans. Therefore, VA is 
issuing this technical correction to ensure that skin disabilities are 
rated correctly.

DATES: This correction is effective August 13, 2018.

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: Stephanie Li, Chief, Regulations Staff 
(211D), Compensation Service, Department of Veterans Affairs, 810 
Vermont Avenue NW, Washington, DC 20420, (202) 461-9700. (This is not a 
toll-free telephone number.)

SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: On Friday, July 13, 2018, VA published in 
the Federal Register (83 FR 32592) a final rule amending its Schedule 
for Rating Disabilities regulations pertaining to the skin body system.
    In Sec.  4.118, under the General Rating Formula for the Skin for 
DCs 7806, 7809, 7813-7816, 7820-7822, AND 7824, the 30 percent criteria 
published in the final rule, contains a phrase ``Characteristic lesions 
involving more than'' without a corresponding explanation for the 
additional phrase ``more than.''
    VA notes that the inclusion of the phrase ``more than'' in the 
final rule was clearly a technical error. This document corrects this 
technical error by removing the phrase ``more than'' from the 30 
percent rating criteria under the General Rating Formula for the Skin. 
This error does not affect any benefits which were previously paid as 
the final rule for skin will not become effective until August 13, 
2018.
    In FR Doc. 18-14957, appearing on page 32598 in the Federal 
Register of July 13, 2018, correct the following:


Sec.  4.118  [Corrected]

0
1. On page 32598, in the table, under the heading General Rating 
Formula For The Skin for DCs 7806, 7809, 7813-7816, 7820-7822, AND 
7824, revise the 30 percent disability rating criteria to read as 
follows:

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                              * * * * * * *
At least one of the following...........................              30
Characteristic lesions involving 20 to 40 percent of the
 entire body or 20 to 40 percent of exposed areas
 affected; or Systemic therapy including, but not
 limited to, corticosteroids, phototherapy, retinoids,
 biologics, photochemotherapy, PUVA, or other
 immunosuppressive drugs required for a total duration
 of 6 weeks or more, but not constantly, over the past
 12-month period........................................
 
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    Approved: August 2, 2018.
Jeffrey M. Martin,
Impact Analyst, Office of Regulation Policy & Management, Office of the 
Secretary, Department of Veterans Affairs.
[FR Doc. 2018-16859 Filed 8-6-18; 8:45 am]
 BILLING CODE 8320-01-P