No Smoking Cessation Copayment

[Stretch]

Elimination of Copayment for Smoking Cessation Counseling -

The Department of Veterans Affairs (VA)

published an interim final rule in the Federal Register on May 2, 2005, to amend its medical regulations concerning copayments for inpatient hospital care and outpatient medical care. This rule designates smoking cessation counseling (individual and group sessions) as a service that is not subject to copayment requirements. The intended effect of this interim final rule is to increase participation in smoking cessation counseling by removing the copayment barrier.

Effective Date: May 2, 2005.

Comments deadline: July 1, 2005.

Address: Director, Regulations Management (00REG1), Department of Veterans Affairs, 810 Vermont Avenue, NW, Room 1068, Washington, DC 20420; or fax comments to (202) 273-9026; or e-mail comments to VARegulations@mail.va.gov; web site: http://www.Regulations.gov. Comments should indicate that they are submitted in response to ``RIN 2900-AM11.''

Contact: Eileen P. Downey, Program Analyst, Policy Development, Chief Business Office (16); telephone: (202) 254-0347 or Dr. Kim Hamlet-Berry, Director, Public Health National Prevention Program, Veterans Health Administration, Department of Veterans Affairs, 810 Vermont Avenue, NW, Washington, DC 20420; telephone: (202) 254-8929.

[Pete53]

Fuinny as I think the Military made smokers out of a lot of people who may have not done it. Cheap cigs and smoke breaks sort of paved the road.