Rescission of Outdated Veterans Choice Program Regulations
Published Date: 7/28/2026
Rule
Summary
The Department of Veterans Affairs (VA) is rescinding obsolete regulations that were previously implemented for the Veterans Choice Program, which has been replaced by the Veterans Community Care Program as of June 6, 2019.
Analyzed Economic Effects
1 provisions identified: 1 benefits, 0 costs, 0 mixed.
Zero Copayment for Community Care
If you are a veteran receiving non-institutional or extended care through the Veterans Community Care Program (VCCP) under Secs. 17.4000–17.4040, the copayment amount when that care is furnished by a non-VA provider is $0. This change is part of amendments effective August 27, 2026 that remove outdated Veterans Choice Program rules and clarify that such care under the VCCP has no copayment.
Personalized for You
How does this regulation affect your finances?
Personalize government policy and PRIA will tell you what this federal register document means for your household, plus every other regulation we track. PRIA reads each provision against your financial profile to show you exactly what matters to your wallet.
Key Dates
Department and Agencies
Related Federal Register Documents
2026-11973, Implementing Regulation for National Environmental Policy Act (NEPA): Environmental Effects of the Department of Veterans Affairs Actions
The Department of Veterans Affairs is updating how it checks the environmental impact of its projects to be faster, clearer, and more in line with new laws passed since 1989. This change affects VA staff and veterans by improving planning and making sure VA actions protect the environment while delivering care. The new rules start June 15, 2026, and the VA welcomes feedback until July 15, 2026.
2025-21242, Extending Deadline for Debtor To Request a Waiver
The VA is giving veterans more time—up to one year instead of 180 days—to ask for a waiver on debts related to benefits. This change, effective January 26, 2026, helps reduce stress by giving veterans extra breathing room to handle their debt issues. It doesn’t cost veterans extra money but makes the process friendlier and fairer.
2025-18827, Extension of Program of Comprehensive Assistance for Family Caregivers Eligibility for Legacy Participants and Legacy Applicants
The VA is giving family caregivers of veterans more time to stay in their special support program by extending the deadline from 2025 to 2028. This means caregivers and veterans who joined the program earlier (the legacy group) can keep getting help for three more years. No changes to money or benefits, just extra time to enjoy the support they deserve!
2025-14687, Reproductive Health Services
The VA is planning to stop covering abortions and abortion counseling again, reversing a 2022 change. This affects veterans and their families who use VA and CHAMPVA health benefits. The change aims to focus VA services on what they consider essential care, with no new costs or timing details shared yet.
2026-14662, Privacy Act of 1974; System of Records
The Department of Veterans Affairs is updating its system that tracks work-related injuries and illnesses for VA employees. These changes improve how the VA collects, stores, and protects safety incident info, helping keep workers safer. If you want to comment, you’ve got 30 days from July 21, 2026, before the new system rules kick in—no cost changes involved!
2026-14221, Agency Information Collection Activity: Request for Retroactive Induction for a Period Previously Completed Under Chapter 33
Veterans who used education benefits under Chapter 33 can now ask the VA to count past service time retroactively with a new form update. The VA is asking for public feedback on this info collection by September 14, 2026, to make sure it’s clear and easy to use. This won’t cost veterans money but helps the VA handle requests better and faster.
Previous / Next Documents
Previous: 2026-15206, Takes of Marine Mammals Incidental to Specified Activities; Taking Marine Mammals Incidental to U.S. Navy Operations of Surveillance Towed Array Sensor System Low Frequency Active Sonar in the Western and Central North Pacific Ocean and Eastern Indian Ocean
NMFS, upon request from the U.S. Department of the Navy (Navy), issues these regulations pursuant to the Marine Mammal Protection Act (MMPA) to govern the taking of marine mammals incidental to training and testing activities using Surveillance Towed Array Sensor System (SURTASS) Low Frequency Active (LFA) sonar systems in the western and central North Pacific and eastern Indian oceans over the course of 7 years from August 2026 through August 2033. These regulations allow for the issuance of a letter of authorization (LOA) for the incidental take of marine mammals during specified activities and timeframes, prescribe the permissible methods of taking and other means of effecting the least practicable adverse impact on marine mammal species and their habitat, and establish requirements pertaining to the monitoring and reporting of such taking. The Navy's activities are considered military readiness activities pursuant to the MMPA, as amended by the National Defense Authorization Act for Fiscal Year 2004 (2004 NDAA) and the NDAA for Fiscal Year 2019 (2019 NDAA).
Next: 2026-15212, 2026 Quarterly Listings; Second Quarter; Safety Zones, Security Zones, and Special Local Regulations
This document provides notification of substantive rules issued by the Coast Guard that were made temporarily effective but expired before they could be published in the Federal Register. This document lists temporary safety zones, security zones, and special local regulations, all of limited duration and for which timely publication in the Federal Register was not possible. This document also announces notifications of enforcement for existing reoccurring regulations that we issued but were unable to be published before the enforcement period ended.