PART IV GENERAL ADMINISTRATIVE PROVISIONS CHAPTER 51-CLAIMS, EFFECTIVE DATES, AND PAYMENTS SUBCHAPTER I-CLAIMS Sec. 5101. Claims and forms. 5102. Application forms furnished upon request. 5103. Incomplete applications. 5104. Decisions and notices of decisions. 5105. Joint applications for social security and dependency and indemnity com pensation. 5106. Furinishing of information by other agencies. 5107. Burden of proof; benefit of the doubt. 5108. Reopening disallowed claims. 5109. Independent medical opinions. SUBCHAPTER II-EFFECTIVE DATES 5110. Effective dates of awards. 5111. Commencement of period of payment. 5112. Effective dates of reductions and discontinuances. 5113. Effective dates of educational benefits. SUBCHAPTER III-PAYMENT OF BENEFITS 5120. Payment of benefits; delivery. 5121. Payment of certain accrued benefits upon death of a beneficiary. 5122. Cancellation of checks mailed to deceased payees. 5123. Rounding down of pension rates. Sec. CHAPTER 53 SPECIAL PROVISIONS RELATING TO BENEFITS 5301. Nonassignability and exempt status of benefits. 5302. Waiver of recovery of claims by the United States. 5303A. Minimum active-duty service requirement. 5304. Prohibition against duplication of benefits. 5305. Waiver of retired pay. 5306. Renouncement of right to benefits. 5307. Apportionment of benefits. 5308. Withholding benefits of persons in territory of the enemy. 5309. Payment of certain withheld benefits. 5310. Payment of benefits for month of death. 5311. Prohibition of certain benefit payments. 5312. Annual adjustment of certain benefit rates. 5313. Limitation on payment of compensation and dependency and indemnity compensation to persons incarcerated for conviction of a felony. 5314. Indebtedness offsets. 5315. Interest and administrative cost charges on delinquent payments of certain amounts due the United States. 5316. Authority to sue to collect certain debts. 5317. Use of income information from other agencies: notice and vertification. 5318. Review of Department of Health and Human Services death information. 5319. Limitations on access to financial records. Sec. 5501. CHAPTER 55-MINORS, INCOMPETENTS, AND OTHER WARDS Commitment actions. 5502. Payments to and supervision of fiduciaries. 5503. Hospitalized veterans and estates of incompetent institutionalized veterans. 5504. Administration of trust funds. 5505. Limitation on compensation payments for certain incompetent veterans. Sec. 5701. CHAPTER 57-RECORDS AND INVESTIGATIONS Confidential nature of claims. 5702. Furnishing of records. 5703. Certification of records of District of Columbia. 5704. Transcript of trial records. 5705. Confidentiality of medical quality-assurance records. SUBCHAPTER II—INVESTIGATIONS 5711. Authority to issue subpoenas. 5712. Validity of affidavits. 5713. Disobedience to subpoena. Sec. CHAPTER 59-AGENTS AND ATTORNEYS 5901. Prohibition against acting as claims agent or attorney. 5904. Recognition of agents and attorneys generally. Sec. CHAPTER 61-PENAL AND FORFEITURE PROVISIONS 6101. Misappropriation by fiduciaries. 6102. Fraudulent acceptance of payments. 6103. Forfeiture for fraud. 6104. Forfeiture for treason. 6105. Forfeiture for subversive activities. Sec. PART V-BOARDS, ADMINISTRATIONS, AND SERVICES CHAPTER 71-BOARD OF VETERANS' APPEALS 7286. Judicial Conference of the Court of Veterans Appeals. SUBCHAPTER IV-DECISIONS AND REVIEW 7291. Date when United States Court of Veterans Appeals decision becomes final. 7292. Review by United States Court of Appeals for the Federal Circuit. SUBCHAPTER V-RETIREMENT AND SURVIVORS ANNUITIES 7296. Retirement of judges. 7297. Survivor annuities. 7298. Court of Veterans Appeals Retirement Fund. CHAPTER 73-VETERANS HEALTH ADMINISTRATION-ORGANIZATION AND Sec. FUNCTIONS SUBCHAPTER I-ORGANIZATION 7301. Functions of Veterans Health Administration: in general. 7302. Functions of Veterans Health Administration: health-care personnel education and training programs. 7303. Functions of Veterans Health Administration: research programs. 7304. Regulations. 7305. Divisions of Veterans Health Administration. 7306. Office of the Under Secretary for Health. SUBCHAPTER II-GENERAL AUTHORITY AND ADMINISTRATION 7311. Quality assurance. 7312. Special medical advisory group. 7313. Advisory committees: affialiated institutions. 7314. Geriatric research, education, and clinical centers. 7315. Geriatric and Gerontology Advisory Committee. 7316. Malpractice and negligence suits: defense by United States. 7317. Hazardous research projects: indemnification of contractors. 7318. National Center for Preventive Health. 7331. Informed consent. SUBCHAPTER III-PATIENT RIGHTS 7332. Confidentiality of certain medical records. 7333. Nondiscrimination against alcohol and drug abusers and persons infected with human immunodeficiency virus. 7334. Regulations. SUBCHAPTER IV-RESEARCH CORPORATIONS 7361. Authority to establish; status. 7362. Purpose of corporations. 7363. Board of directors; executive director. 7364. General powers. 7365. Applicable State law. 7366. Accountability and oversight. 7367. Report to Congress. 7368. Expiration of authority. CHAPTER 74-VETERANS HEALTH ADMINISTRATION-PERSONNEL Sec. SUBCHAPTER I-APPOINTMENTS 7401. Appointments in Veterans Health Administration. 7402. Qualifications of appointees. 7403. Period of appointments; promotions. 7404. Grades and pay scales. 7405. Temporary full-time appointments, part-time appointments, and withoutcompensation appointments. 7406. Residencies and internships. 7407. Administrative provisions for section 7405 and 7406 appointments. 7408. Appointment of additional employees. 7409. Contracts for scarce medical specialist services. 7410. Additional pay authorities. 7411. Full-time board-certified physicians and dentists: reimbursement of continuing professional education expenses. SUBCHAPTER II-COLLECTIVE BARGAINING AND PERSONNEL ADMINISTRATION 7421. Personnel administration: in general. 7422. Collective bargaining. 7423. Personnel administration: full-time employees. 7424. Travel expenses of certain employees. 7425. Employees: laws not applicable. 7426. Retirement rights. SUBCHAPTER III-SPECIAL PAY FOR PHYSICIANS AND DENTISTS 7431. Special pay: authority. 7432. Special pay: written agreements. 7433. Special pay: full-time physicians. 7434. Special pay: part-time physicians. 7435. Special pay: full-time dentists. 7436. Special pay: part-time dentists. 7437. Special pay: general provisions. 7438. Special pay: coordination with other benefits laws. 7439. Periodic review of pay of physicians and dentists; quadrennial report. 7440. Annual report. SUBCHAPTER IV-PAY FOR NURSES AND OTHER HEALTH-CARE PERSONNEL 7451. Nurses and other health-care personnel: competitive pay. 7452. Nurses and other health-care personnel: administration of pay. 7453. Nurses: additional pay. 7454. Physician assistants and other health care professionals: additional pay. 7455. Increases in rates of basic pay. 7456. Nurses: special rules for weekend duty. 7457. On-call pay. 7458. Recruitment and retention bonus pay. SUBCHAPTER V-DISCIPLINARY AND GRIEVANCE PROCEDURES 7461. Adverse actions: section 7401(1) employees. 7462. Major adverse actions involving professional conduct or competence. 7463. Other adverse actions. 7464. Disciplinary Appeals Boards. SUBCHAPTER VI-REGIONAL MEDICAL EDUCATION CENTERS 7471. Designation of Regional Medical Education Centers. 7472. Supervision and staffing of Centers. 7473. Personnel eligible for training. 7474. Consultation. SUBCHAPTER V-STIPEND Program for MEMBERS OF THE SELECTED RESERVE 7651. Authority for program. 7652. Eligibility: individuals entitled to benefits under the GI Bill program for members of the Selected Reserve. 7721. Purposes; definitions. 7722. Outreach services. 7723. Veterans assistance offices. 7724. Outstationing of counseling and outreach personnel. 7725. Use of other agencies. 7726. Annual report to Congress. |