BVA9501265 
DOCKET NO.  93-08 896     )       DATE
          )
          )

On appeal from the decision of the
Department of Veterans Affairs Regional Office and Insurance
Center in St. Paul, Minnesota

THE ISSUE

Entitlement to reinstatement of the veteran's National Service
Life Insurance policy.

ATTORNEY FOR THE BOARD

Milo H. Hawley, Counsel

REMAND

The veteran had active service from September 1944 to September
1946 and from June 1948 to September 1948.

This matter comes before the Board of Veterans' Appeals (Board)
on appeal from a November 1992 decision by the Department of
Veterans Affairs (VA) Regional Office and Insurance Center in
St. Paul, Minnesota, (ROIC) denying the veteran's application for
reinstatement of his lapsed National Service Life Insurance
(NSLI) policy.

The veteran had a NSLI policy which lapsed as of October 1, 1987.
His application for reinstatement was received in October 1992.
In that application, the veteran indicated that he had undergone
a radical prostatectomy for carcinoma of the prostate in July
1992 and had had radiation therapy in September and October 1992.
In May 1993 the veteran submitted a copy of a laboratory report
which states that he had a prostatic specific antigen value of
.05.  However, other clinical evidence concerning the surgery,
radiation therapy, and followup care has not been included in the
record on appeal.

On the basis of the above, the Board believes that additional
development is necessary.  Accordingly, the case is REMANDED to
the ROIC for the following:

The ROIC should contact the veteran and
inquire as to the identity of the providers
of the medical care relating to his radical
prostatectomy, radiation treatment, and
followup care concerning his prostate
cancer.  Appropriate releases should be
requested.  The ROIC should contact the
health care provider(s) identified and
request copies of all medical records
relating to treatment of the veteran's
prostate cancer, including, but not limited
to, records relating to the radical
prostatectomy, subsequent radiation
treatment, and other followup care.

Following completion of the above, the ROIC should review the
evidence and readjudicate the veteran's claim.  Thereafter, if
appropriate, the veteran should be furnished with a supplemental
statement of the case and be given the appropriate opportunity to
respond thereto.  Thereafter, the claims and insurance files,
including any evidence obtained, should be returned to this Board
for further appellate review, if in order.  No action is required
by the veteran until he receives further notice.

The purpose of this REMAND is to procure clarifying data.  The
Board intimates no opinion, either legal or factual, as to the
ultimate disposition of this appeal.

          WAYNE M. BRAEUER
          Member, Board of Veterans' Appeals

The Board of Veterans' Appeals Administrative Procedures
Improvement Act, Pub. L. No. 103-271, § 6, 108 Stat. 740, ___
(1994), permits a proceeding instituted before the Board to be
assigned to an individual member of the Board for a
determination.  This proceeding has been assigned to an
individual member of the Board.

Under 38 U.S.C.A. § 7252 (West 1991), only a decision of the
Board of Veterans' Appeals is appealable to the United States
Court of Veterans Appeals.  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) (1993).