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Title 10, Armed ForcesRelease 119-110

§1078b Provision of Food to Certain Members and Dependents Not Receiving Inpatient Care in Military Medical Treatment Facilities

Title 10 › Subtitle A — General Military Law › PART II — PERSONNEL › CHAPTER 55 — MEDICAL AND DENTAL CARE › § 1078b

Last updated Sep 22, 2026|Official source

Summary

Under rules the Secretary of Defense makes, the Secretary may give free food and drinks at military medical facilities to certain people. Eligible people include service members, former service members, or their dependents who are getting outpatient care and cannot buy food while there; family members who are caring for an infant admitted to the hospital and cannot buy food while providing that care; and others in similar situations the Secretary finds fit. The rules must match common practices used in private hospitals.

Full Legal Text

Title 10, §1078b

Armed Forces, Source: USLM XML via OLRC

(a)In General.—
(1)Under regulations prescribed by the Secretary of Defense, the Secretary may provide food and beverages to an individual described in paragraph (2) at no cost to the individual.
(2)An individual described in this paragraph is the following:
(A)A member or former member of the uniformed services or dependent—
(i)who is receiving outpatient medical care at a military medical treatment facility; and
(ii)whom the Secretary determines is unable to purchase food and beverages while at such facility by virtue of receiving such care.
(B)A member or former member of the uniformed services or dependent—
(i)who is a family member of an infant receiving inpatient medical care at a military medical treatment facility;
(ii)who provides care to the infant while the infant receives such inpatient medical care; and
(iii)whom the Secretary determines is unable to purchase food and beverages while at such facility by virtue of providing such care to the infant.
(C)A member or former member of the uniformed services or dependent whom the Secretary determines is under similar circumstances as a member, former member, or dependent described in subparagraph (A) or (B).
(b)Regulations.—
The Secretary shall ensure that regulations prescribed under this section are consistent with generally accepted practices in private medical treatment facilities.

Legislative History

Notes & Related Subsidiaries

Editorial Notes

Amendments

2014—Subsec. (a)(2). Pub. L. 113–291, § 705(1), substituted “A member or former member” for “A member” wherever appearing. Subsec. (a)(2)(C). Pub. L. 113–291, § 705(2), substituted “member, former member, or dependent” for “member or dependent”.

Statutory Notes and Related Subsidiaries

Effective Date

Pub. L. 112–81, div. A, title VII, § 704(c), Dec. 31, 2011, 125 Stat. 1473, provided that: “The

Amendments

made by this section [enacting this section] shall take effect on the date that is 90 days after the date of the enactment of this Act [Dec. 31, 2011].”

Reference

Citations & Metadata

Citation

10 U.S.C. § 1078b

Title 10, Armed Forces

Last Updated

Sep 22, 2026

Release point: 119-110