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Title 38, Veterans' BenefitsRelease 119-102

§1711 Care During Examinations and in Emergencies

Title 38 › PART II — GENERAL BENEFITS › CHAPTER 17 — HOSPITAL, NURSING HOME, DOMICILIARY, AND MEDICAL CARE › SUBCHAPTER II — HOSPITAL, NURSING HOME, OR DOMICILIARY CARE AND MEDICAL TREATMENT › § 1711

Last updated Aug 21, 2026|Official source

Summary

The Secretary may provide hospital care when that care is needed as part of physical exams required to carry out other laws the Secretary oversees. The Secretary may make contracts with groups named in or approved under section 5902 so emergency medical care is available at those groups’ national conventions. The Secretary can repay those groups under rules the Secretary sets, but does not have to pay when the person would already be eligible for care under this chapter. This authority only applies for fiscal years and amounts covered by appropriation acts.

Full Legal Text

Title 38, §1711

Veterans' Benefits, Source: USLM XML via OLRC

(a)The Secretary may furnish hospital care incident to physical examinations where such examinations are necessary in carrying out the provisions of other laws administered by the Secretary.
[(b)Repealed. Pub. L. 107–135, title II, § 208(d), Jan. 23, 2002, 115 Stat. 2463.]
(c)(1)The Secretary may contract with any organization named in, or approved by the Secretary under, section 5902 of this title to provide for the furnishing by the Secretary, on a reimbursable basis (as prescribed by the Secretary), of emergency medical services to individuals attending any national convention of such organization, except that reimbursement shall not be required for services furnished under this subsection to the extent that the individual receiving such services would otherwise be eligible under this chapter for medical services.
(2)The authority of the Secretary to enter into contracts under this subsection shall be effective for any fiscal year only to such extent or in such amounts as are provided in appropriation Acts.

Legislative History

Notes & Related Subsidiaries

Editorial Notes

Prior Provisions

Prior section 1711 was renumbered section 3511 of this title.

Amendments

2002—Subsec. (b). Pub. L. 107–135 struck out subsec. (b) which read as follows: “The Secretary may furnish hospital care or medical services as a humanitarian service in emergency cases, but the Secretary shall charge for such care at rates prescribed by the Secretary.” 1991—Pub. L. 102–83, § 5(a), renumbered section 611 of this title as this section. Pub. L. 102–83, § 4(b)(1), (2)(E), substituted “Secretary” for “Administrator” wherever appearing. Subsec. (c)(1). Pub. L. 102–40 substituted “5902” for “3402”. 1979—Subsec. (c). Pub. L. 96–22 added subsec. (c). Subsec. (c)(1). Pub. L. 96–128 substituted “named in, or approved by the Administrator under,” for “recognized by the Administrator for the purposes of”. 1976—Pub. L. 94–581, § 202(e)(1), substituted “Care” for “Hospitalization” in section catchline. Subsec. (a). Pub. L. 94–581, § 210(a)(2)(A), substituted “administered by the Administrator” for “administered by him”. Subsec. (b). Pub. L. 94–581, §§ 202(e)(2), 210(a)(2)(B), substituted “hospital care or medical services” for “hospital care”, “the Administrator shall charge” for “he shall charge”, and “prescribed by the Administrator” for “prescribed by him”.

Statutory Notes and Related Subsidiaries

Effective Date

of 1979 AmendmentAmendment by Pub. L. 96–128 effective Nov. 28, 1979, see section 601(b) of Pub. L. 96–128, set out as a note under section 1114 of this title.

Effective Date

of 1976 AmendmentAmendment by Pub. L. 94–581 effective Oct. 21, 1976, see section 211 of Pub. L. 94–581, set out as a note under section 111 of this title.

Reference

Citations & Metadata

Citation

38 U.S.C. § 1711

Title 38, Veterans' Benefits

Last Updated

Aug 21, 2026

Release point: 119-102