Citation Nr: 1323015	
Decision Date: 07/18/13    Archive Date: 07/24/13

DOCKET NO.  13-11 482	)	DATE
	)
	)

On appeal from the
Department of Veterans Affairs Medical Center in Gainesville, Florida


THE ISSUE

Entitlement to payment or reimbursement of unauthorized medical expenses incurred at West Marion Community Hospital during the period December 17, 2012, through December 26, 2012.


REPRESENTATION

Appellant represented by:	Disabled American Veterans


ATTORNEY FOR THE BOARD

J. H. Nilon, Counsel





INTRODUCTION

This appeal has been advanced on the Board's docket pursuant to 38 U.S.C.A. § 7107(a)(2) (West 2002) and 38 C.F.R. § 20.900(c) (2012).

The Veteran served on active duty from February 1946 to December 1947.

This matter comes before the Board of Veterans' Appeals (Board) on appeal of a January 2013 administrative decision by the Department of Veterans Affairs (VA) North Florida/South Georgia Veterans Health System that denied the Veteran's claim for payment or reimbursement of unauthorized medical expenses incurred at West Marion Community Hospital during the period December 17, 2012, through December 26, 2012.
   
The appeal is REMANDED to the RO via the Appeals Management Center (AMC), in Washington, DC.  VA will notify the appellant if further action is required on his part.


REMAND

The Veteran has requested a Travel Board hearing at the VA Regional Office (RO).  Because such hearings are scheduled by the RO, remand is necessary.

Accordingly, this case is REMANDED to the RO for the following action:

Schedule the Veteran for a Travel Board hearing at the RO, in accordance with his request and with the docket number of the appeal.  

The Veteran need take no action until he is otherwise notified, but he may furnish additional evidence and/or argument during the appropriate time frame.  See Kutscherousky v. West, 12 Vet. App. 369 (1999).

This claim has been advanced on the Board's docket and must be afforded expeditious treatment.  The law requires that all claims that are remanded by the Board of Veterans' Appeals or by the United States Court of Appeals for Veterans Claims for additional development or other appropriate action must be handled in an expeditious manner.  See 38 U.S.C.A. §§ 5109B, 7112 (West Supp. 2012).




_________________________________________________
STEVEN D. REISS
Veterans Law Judge, Board of Veterans' Appeals

Under 38 U.S.C.A. § 7252 (West 2002), only a decision of the Board of Veterans' Appeals is appealable to the United States Court of Appeals for Veterans Claims.  This remand is in the nature of a preliminary order and does not constitute a decision of the Board on the merits of your appeal.  38 C.F.R. § 20.1100(b) (2012).