Title 38 — Veterans' BenefitsRelease 119-73
§1785 Care and services during certain disasters and emergencies
Title 38 › Part PART II— - GENERAL BENEFITS › Chapter CHAPTER 17— - HOSPITAL, NURSING HOME, DOMICILIARY, AND MEDICAL CARE › Subchapter SUBCHAPTER VIII— - HEALTH CARE OF PERSONS OTHER THAN VETERANS › § 1785
Summary
The Secretary may provide hospital care and medical services during and right after a disaster or emergency to people who are responding to it, involved in it, or affected by it. This applies to disasters the President declares under the Stafford Act and to cases when the National Disaster Medical System is activated by the Secretary of Health and Human Services or as the law allows. Veterans can get this care even if they are not enrolled under section 1705. Federal agencies or the military must repay the cost at rates agreed with the Secretary, based on the cost of the care, and payments go to the Medical Care Collections Fund (section 1729A). Within 60 days of such a disaster response, the Secretary must report to the Senate and House Veterans’ Affairs Committees and must issue rules for using this authority.
Full Legal Text
Title 38, §1785
Veterans' Benefits — Source: USLM XML via OLRC
(a)During and immediately following a disaster or emergency referred to in subsection (b), the Secretary may furnish hospital care and medical services to individuals responding to, involved in, or otherwise affected by that disaster or emergency.
(b)A disaster or emergency referred to in this subsection is any disaster or emergency as follows:
(1)A major disaster or emergency declared by the President under the Robert T. Stafford Disaster Relief and Emergency Assistance Act (42 U.S.C. 5121 et seq.).
(2)A disaster or emergency in which the National Disaster Medical System established pursuant to section 2812 of the Public Health Service Act (42 U.S.C. 300hh) 11 See References in Text note below. is activated by the Secretary of Health and Human Services under that section or as otherwise authorized by law.
(c)The Secretary may furnish care and services under this section to an individual described in subsection (a) who is a veteran without regard to whether that individual is enrolled in the system of patient enrollment under section 1705 of this title.
(d)(1)The cost of any care or services furnished under this section to an officer or employee of a department or agency of the United States other than the Department or to a member of the Armed Forces shall be reimbursed at such rates as may be agreed upon by the Secretary and the head of such department or agency or the Secretary concerned, in the case of a member of the Armed Forces, based on the cost of the care or service furnished.
(2)Amounts received by the Department under this subsection shall be credited to the Medical Care Collections Fund under section 1729A of this title.
(e)Within 60 days of the commencement of a disaster or emergency referred to in subsection (b) in which the Secretary furnishes care and services under this section (or as soon thereafter as is practicable), the Secretary shall submit to the Committees on Veterans’ Affairs of the Senate and the House of Representatives a report on the Secretary’s allocation of facilities and personnel in order to furnish such care and services.
(f)The Secretary shall prescribe regulations governing the exercise of the authority of the Secretary under this section.
Legislative History
Notes & Related Subsidiaries
Editorial Notes
References in Text
The Robert T. Stafford Disaster Relief and Emergency Assistance Act, referred to in subsec. (b)(1), is Pub. L. 93–288, May 22, 1974, 88 Stat. 143, which is classified principally to chapter 68 (§ 5121 et seq.) of Title 42, The Public Health and Welfare. For complete classification of this Act to the Code, see
Short Title
note set out under section 5121 of Title 42 and Tables. section 2812 of the Public Health Service Act, referred to in subsec. (b)(2), is classified to section 300hh–11 of Title 42, The Public Health and Welfare.
Prior Provisions
A prior section 1785 was renumbered section 3685 of this title.
Amendments
2010—Subsec. (b)(2). Pub. L. 111–275 substituted “section 2812 of the Public Health Service Act (42 U.S.C. 300hh)” for “section 2811(b) of the Public Health Service Act (42 U.S.C. 300hh–11(b))” and struck out “paragraph (3)(A) of” before “that section”. 2006—Subsec. (b)(1). Pub. L. 109–461, § 1006(b), provided that as of the enactment of Pub. L. 109–461, the
Amendments
made by Pub. L. 109–444 were deemed for all purposes not to have taken effect and that Pub. L. 109–444 ceased to be in effect. See Amendment notes below and section 1006(b) of Pub. L. 109–461, set out as a Coordination of Provisions With Pub. L. 109–444 note under section 101 of this title. Pub. L. 109–461, § 1004(a)(2), substituted “Robert T.” for “Robert B.”. Pub. L. 109–444, which substituted “Robert T.” for “Robert B.”, was terminated by Pub. L. 109–461, § 1006(b). See Amendment notes above.
Statutory Notes and Related Subsidiaries
Transfer of Functions
For
Transfer of Functions
, personnel, assets, and liabilities of the National Disaster Medical System, including the functions of the Secretary of Homeland Security and the Under Secretary for Emergency Preparedness and Response relating thereto, to the Secretary of Health and Human Services, see title III of Pub. L. 109–295, set out in part as a note under section 300hh–11 of Title 42, The Public Health and Welfare, and section 301(b) of Pub. L. 109–417, set out as a note under section 300hh–11 of Title 42. For
Transfer of Functions
, personnel, assets, and liabilities of the National Disaster Medical System of the Department of Health and Human Services, including the functions of the Secretary of Health and Human Services and the Assistant Secretary for Public Health Emergency Preparedness [now Assistant Secretary for Preparedness and Response] relating thereto, to the Secretary of Homeland Security, and for treatment of related references, see former section 313(5) and section 551(d), 552(d), and 557 of Title 6, Domestic Security, and the Department of Homeland Security Reorganization Plan of November 25, 2002, as modified, set out as a note under section 542 of Title 6.
Reference
Citations & Metadata
Citation
38 U.S.C. § 1785
Title 38 — Veterans' Benefits
Last Updated
Apr 6, 2026
Release point: 119-73