42 U.S.C. § 253 | Medical services to Coast Guard, National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration, and Public Health Service

(a)

Persons entitled to medical services

Subject to regulations of the President—

(1)

commissioned officers, chief warrant officers, warrant officers, cadets, and enlisted personnel of the Regular Coast Guard on active duty, including those on shore duty and those on detached duty; and Regular, and temporary members of the United States Coast Guard Reserve when on active duty;

(2)

commissioned officers, ships’ officers, and members of the crews of vessels of the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration on active duty, including those on shore duty and those on detached duty; and

(3)

1 See Change of Name note below.

commissioned officers of the Regular or Reserve Corps  of the Public Health Service on active duty;

shall be entitled to medical, surgical, and dental treatment and hospitalization by the Service. The Surgeon General may detail commissioned officers for duty aboard vessels of the Coast Guard or the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration.

(b)

Health care for involuntarily separated officers and dependents

(1)

¹ The Secretary may provide health care for an officer of the Regular or Reserve Corps  involuntarily separated from the Service, and for any dependent of such officer, if—

(A)

the officer or dependent was receiving health care at the expense of the Service at the time of separation; and

(B)

the Secretary finds that the officer or dependent is unable to obtain appropriate insurance for the conditions for which the officer or dependent was receiving health care.

(2)

Health care may be provided under paragraph (1) for a period of not more than one year from the date of separation of the officer from the Service.

(c)

Examination of personnel of Service assigned to Coast Guard or National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration

The Service shall provide all services referred to in subsection (a) required by the Coast Guard or National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration and shall perform all duties prescribed by statute in connection with the examinations to determine physical or mental condition for purposes of appointment, enlistment, and reenlistment, promotion and retirement, and officers of the Service assigned to duty on Coast Guard or National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration vessels may extend aid to the crews of American vessels engaged in deep-sea fishing.

July 1, 1944, ch. 373 58 Stat. 697 June 7, 1956, ch. 374, § 306(3) 70 Stat. 254 Pub. L. 86–415, § 5(d)Apr. 8, 196074 Stat. 34 Pub. L. 88–71, § 2July 19, 196377 Stat. 83 July 13, 196579 Stat. 1318 Oct. 3, 197084 Stat. 2090 Pub. L. 99–117, § 5Oct. 7, 198599 Stat. 492 (, title III, § 326, ; , ; , , ; , , ; 1965 Reorg. Plan No. 2, eff. , 30 F.R. 8819, ; 1970 Reorg. Plan No. 4, eff. , 35 F.R. 15627, ; , , .)

Editorial Notes

Amendments

Pub. L. 99–1171985—Subsec. (b). added subsec. (b).

Pub. L. 88–71, § 2(a)section 253a(b) of this title1963—Subsec. (b). , repealed subsec. (b) which provided for treatment of dependents of personnel. See .

Pub. L. 88–71, § 2(b)Subsec. (c). , inserted “or Coast and Geodetic Survey” after “Coast Guard” in two places.

Pub. L. 86–4151960—Subsec. (a). struck out provisions which authorized medical, surgical, and dental care and hospitalization for retired personnel of Coast Guard, Coast and Geodetic Survey, and Public Health Service.

June 7, 19561956—Subsec. (b). Act , repealed subsec. (b) except insofar as it related to dependent members of families of ships’ officers and members of crews of vessels of Coast and Geodetic Survey.

Statutory Notes and Related Subsidiaries

Change of Name

section 204(c)(3) of this titleReference to Reserve Corps of the Public Health Service deemed to be a reference to the Ready Reserve Corps, see .

section 509(b) of Pub. L. 96–88 section 3508(b) of Title 20“Secretary of Health and Human Services” substituted for “Secretary of Health, Education, and Welfare” in subsec. (b) pursuant to , which is classified to , Education.

Effective Date of 1956 Amendment

June 7, 1956June 7, 1956June 7, 1956Amendment by act , effective six months after , see section 307 of act .

Transfer of Functions

November 25, 2002section 542 of Title 6For transfer of authorities, functions, personnel, and assets of the Coast Guard, including the authorities and functions of the Secretary of Transportation relating thereto, to the Department of Homeland Security, and for treatment of related references, see sections 468(b), 551(d), 552(d), and 557 of Title 6, Domestic Security, and the Department of Homeland Security Reorganization Plan of , as modified, set out as a note under .

Executive Documents

Change of Name

July 13, 196579 Stat. 1318 Oct. 3, 197084 Stat. 2090 section 851 of Title 33Coast and Geodetic Survey consolidated with Weather Bureau to form a new agency in Department of Commerce to be known as Environmental Science Services Administration, and commissioned officers of Survey transferred to ESSA, by Reorg. Plan No. 2 of 1965, eff. , 30 F.R. 8819, , set out in the Appendix to Title 5, Government Organization and Employees. Reorg. Plan No. 4 of 1970, eff. , 35 F.R. 15627, , abolished Environmental Science Services Administration, established National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration, and redesignated Commissioned Officer Corps of ESSA as Commissioned Officer Corps of NOAA. For further details, see Transfer of Functions note set out under , Navigation and Navigable Waters.

Transfer of Functions

June 25, 196680 Stat. 1610 section 202 of this titleFunctions of Public Health Service, Surgeon General of Public Health Service, and all other officers and employees of Public Health Service, and functions of all agencies of or in Public Health Service transferred to Secretary of Health, Education, and Welfare by Reorg. Plan No. 3 of 1966, eff. , 31 F.R. 8855 , set out as a note under .