Emergency approval is granted. VA shall proceed with the normal clearance process in order to avoid a lapse in OMB approval.
Inventory as of this Action
Requested
Previously Approved
01/31/2021
6 Months From Approved
12/31/2020
343,922
0
300
171,861
0
50
0
0
0
Section 7331 of title 38, United States Code (U.S.C.), requires, in relevant part, that the Secretary of Veterans Affairs, upon the recommendation of the Under Secretary for Health, prescribe regulations to ensure, to the maximum extent practicable, that all VA patient care be carried out only with the full and informed consent of the patient, or in appropriate cases, a representative thereof. Based on VAâs interpretation of this statute and our mandate in 38 U.S.C. 7301(b) to provide a complete medical and hospital service, we recognize that patients with decision-making capacity have the right to state their treatment preferences in a VA or other valid advance directive. The VA advance directive form (both English and Spanish language versions) is VA Form 10-0137. These forms have a current OMB Paperwork Reduction Act (PRA) clearance under OMB Control Number 2900-0556.
This request for an emergency PRA clearance applies to changes made to the Witnesses Section of VA Form 10-0137 Advance Directive (both English and Spanish language versions). This information collection is noticed in the interim final rule associated with RIN 2900-AQ97. Emergency clearance is requested because AQ97 changed from a proposed rule to an interim final rule that will soon be cleared for publication in the Federal Register. The use of regular OMB clearance procedures will not allow for coordination of the PRA clearance with publication of the rule.
The burden for this information collection has not changed for VA Form 10-0137; however, there was an addition previously approved by OMB for an estimated 300 Close Friend Statements to be collected annually as part of 2900-0556.
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:
(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;
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.