ASSESSMENT OF EFFECTIVENESS OF INSURANCE AND SURVIVOR BENEFITS PROGRAMS FOR SURVIVORS OF VETERANS WITH SERVICE-CONNECTED DISABILITIES.

SEC. 303. ASSESSMENT OF EFFECTIVENESS OF INSURANCE AND SURVIVOR BENEFITS PROGRAMS FOR SURVIVORS OF VETERANS WITH SERVICE-CONNECTED DISABILITIES. (a) Report on Assessment.— Not later than October 1, 1999, the Secretary of Veterans Affairs shall submit to the Committees on Veterans’ Affairs of the Senate and the House of Representatives a report containing an assessment of the adequacy of the insurance and survivor benefits programs of the Department of Veterans Affairs (including the payment of dependency and indemnity compensation under chapter 13 of title 38, United States Code) in meeting the needs of survivors of veterans with service-connected disabilities, including survivors of catastrophically disabled veterans who cared for those veterans. (b) Report Elements.— The report on the assessment under subsection (a) shall include the following: (1) An identification of the characteristics that make a disabled veteran catastrophically disabled. 112 STAT. 3334 (2) A statement of the number of veterans with service-connected disabilities who participate in insurance programs administered by the Department. (3) A statement of the number of survivors of veterans with service-connected disabilities who receive dependency and indemnity compensation under chapter 13 of title 38, United States Code. (4) Data on veterans with service-connected disabilities that are relevant to the insurance programs administered by the Department, and an assessment how such data might be used to better determine the cost above standard premium rates of insuring veterans with service-connected disabilities under such programs. (5) An analysis of various methods of accounting and providing for the additional cost of insuring the lives of veterans with service-connected disabilities under the insurance programs administered by the Department. (6) An assessment of the adequacy and effectiveness of the current insurance programs and dependency and indemnity compensation programs of the Department in meeting the needs of survivors of severely disabled or catastrophically disabled veterans. (7) An analysis of various methods of meeting the transitional financial needs of survivors of veterans with service-connected disabilities immediately after the deaths of such veterans. (8) Such recommendations as the Secretary considers appropriate regarding means of improving the benefits available to survivors of veterans with service-connected disabilities under programs administered by the Department.