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(c) The Secretary concerned shall deliver to the Administrator a certified copy of each certificate issued under subsection (b) in which the right of the person named in the certificate to the special pension provided by section 562 of this title is set forth. Such copy shall authorize the Administrator to pay such pension to the person named in the certificate. (Amended P.L. 87-138, § 2(a); P.L. 94-169, § 106 (43).) § 562. Special provisions relating to pension

(a) The Administrator shall pay monthly to each person whose name has been entered on the Army, Navy, Air Force, and Coast Guard Medal of Honor Roll, and a copy of whose certificate has been delivered to the Administrator under subsection (c) of section 561 of this title, a special pension at the rate of $200, beginning as of the date of application therefor under section 560 of this title. (Amended P.L. 87-138, § 3; P.L. 88-77, § 5(2); P.L. 94-169, § 106 (44); P.L. 95-479, $302.)

(b) The receipt of special pension shall not deprive any person of any other pension or other benefit, right, or privilege to which such person is or may hereafter be entitled under any existing or subsequent law. Special pension shall be paid in addition to all other payments under laws of the United States. (Amended P.L. 94-169, § 106 (45).)

(c) Special pension shall not be subject to any attachment, execution, levy, tax lien, or detention under any process whatever.

(d) If any person has been awarded more than one medal of honor, such person shall not receive more than one special pension. (Amended P.L. 94-169, § 106(45).)

CHAPTER 17-HOSPITAL, NURSING HOME, DOMICILIARY, AND MEDICAL CARE

SUBCHAPTER I-GENERAL

Sec.

601. Definitions.

602. Presumption relating to psychosis.

SUBCHAPTER II-HOSPITAL, NURSING HOME OR DOMICILIARY CARE AND MEDICAL

TREATMENT

610. Eligibility for hospital, nursing home and domiciliary care.

611. Care during examinations and in emergencies.

612. Eligibility for medical treatment.

613. Medical care for survivors and dependents of certain veterans.

614. Fitting and training in use of prosthetic appliances; Seeing-eye dogs.

615. Tobacco for hospitalized veterans.

616. Hospital care by other agencies of the United States.

617. Invalid lifts and other devices.

618. Therapeutic and rehabilitative activities.

619. Repair or replacement of certain prosthetic and other appliances.

620. Transfers for nursing home care.

SUBCHAPTER III-MISCELLANEOUS PROVISIONS RELATING TO HOSPITAL AND NURSING HOME CARE AND MEDICAL TREATMENT OF VETERANS

621. Power to make rules and regulations.

622. Statement under oath.

623. Furnishing of clothing.

624. Hospital care, medical services and nursing home care abroad. 626. Reimbursement for loss of personal effects by natural disaster.

627. Persons eligible under prior law.

628. Reimbursement of certain medical expenses.

CHAPTER 17.-Continued

SUBCHAPTER IV-HOSPITAL AND MEDICAL CARE FOR COMMONWEALTH OF THE PHILIPPINES ARMY VETERANS

Sec.

631. Assistance to the Republic of the Philippines.

632. Contracts and grants to provide hospital care, medical services and nursing home care.

633. Supervision of program by the President.

634. Definitions.

SUBCHAPTER V-PAYMENTS TO STATE HOMES

641. Criteria for payment.

642. Inspections of such homes; restrictions on beneficiaries. 643. Applications.

644. Authorization of appropriation.

SUBCHAPTER VI-SICKLE CELL ANEMIA

651. Screening, counseling, and medical treatment. 652. Research.

653. Voluntary participation; confidentiality. 654. Reports.

§ 601. Definitions

Subchapter I-General

For the purposes of this chapter—

(1) The term "disability” means a disease, injury, or other physical or mental defect.

(2) The term "veteran of any war" includes any veteran of the Indian Wars, or any veteran awarded the Medal of Honor. (Amended P.L. 88-481.)

(3) The term "period of war" includes each of the Indian Wars. (4) The term "Veterans' Administration facilities" means

(A) facilities over which the Administrator has direct jurisdiction;

(B) Government facilities for which the Administrator contracts; and

(C) private facilities for which the Administrator contracts when facilities described in clause (A) or (B) of this paragraph are not capable of furnishing economical care because of geographical inaccessibility or of furnishing the care or services required in order to provide (i) hospital care or medical services to a veteran for the treatment of a service-connected disability or a disability for which a veteran was discharged or released from the active military, naval, or air service; (ii) medical services for the treatment of any disability of a veteran described in clause (1) (B) or (2) of section 612(f) of this title; (iii) hospital care or medical services for the treatment of medical emergencies which pose a serious threat to the life or health of a veteran receiving hospital care in a facility described in clause (A) or (B) of this paragraph: (iv) hospital care for women veterans; or (v) hospital care, or medical services that will obviate the need for hospital admission, for veterans in a State not contiguous to the forty-eight contiguous States, except that the annually determined hospital patient load and incidence of the provision of medical services to veterans hospitalized or treated at the expense of the Veterans' Administration in Government and private fa

cilities in each such noncontiguous State shall be consistent with the patient load or incidence of the provision of medical services for veterans hospitalized or treated by the Veterans' Administration within the forty-eight contiguous States, but the authority of the Administrator under this subclause (except with respect to Alaska and Hawaii) shall expire on December 31, 1981, and until such date the Administrator may, if necessary to prevent hardship, waive the applicability to the Commonwealth of Puerto Rico and to the Virgin Islands of the restrictions in this subclause with respect to hospital patient loads and incidence of provision of medical services. (Amended P.L. 90-612, § 2; P.L. 93-82, § 101 (a); P.L. 94-581, § 202 (b); P.L. 95-520, § 5.)

(5) The term "hospital care" includes

(A) (i) medical services rendered in the course of the hospitalization of any veteran, and (ii) transportation and incidental expenses pursuant to the provisions of section 111 of this title;

(B) such mental health services, consultation, professional counseling, and training for the members of the immediate family or legal guardian of a veteran, or the individual in whose household such veteran certifies an intention to live, as may be essential to the effective treatment and rehabilitation of a veteran or dependent or survivor of a veteran receiving care under the last sentence of section 613 (b) of this title; and

(C) (i) medical services rendered in the course of the hospitalization of a dependent or survivor of a veteran receiving care under the last sentence of section 613(b) of this title, and (ii) transportation and incidental expenses for such dependent or survivor of a veteran who is in need of treatment for any injury, disease, or disability and is unable to defray the expense of transportation. (Amended P.L. 93-82, § 101(b); 94-581, §§ 102 (1). 202 (33.)

(6) The term "medical services" includes, in addition to medical examination, treatment, and rehabilitative services

(A)(i) surgical services, dental services and appliances as authorized in section 612 (b), (c), (d), and (e) of this title, optometric and podiatric services, and (except under the conditions described in section 612(f) (1) (A) of this title), wheelchairs, artificial limbs, trusses, and similar appliances, special clothing made necessary by the wearing of prosthetic appliances, and such other supplies or services as the Administrator determines to be reasonable and necessary, and (ii) travel and incidental expenses pursuant to the provisions of section 111 of this title; and

(B) such consultation, professional counseling, training, and mental health services as are necessary in connection with the treatment

(i) of the service-connected disability of a veteran pursuant to section 612(a) of this title, and

(ii) in the discretion of the Administrator, of the nonservice-connected disability of a veteran eligible for treatment under section 612(f) (1) (B) of this title where such services were initiated during the veteran's hospitalization and the provision of such services on an outpatient basis is essential to permit the discharge of the veteran from the hospital,

for the members of the immediate family or legal guardian of a veteran, or the individual in whose household such veteran certifies an intention to live, as may be essential to the effective treatment and rehabilitation of the veteran (including, under the terms and conditions set forth in section 111 of this title, necessary expenses of travel and subsistence of such family member or individual in the case of a veteran who is receiving care for a service-connected disability, or in the case of dependent or survivor of a veteran receiving care under the last sentence of section 613(b) of this title). For the purposes of this paragraph, a dependent or survivor of a veteran receiving care under the last sentence of section 613(b) of this title shall be eligible for the same medical services as a veteran. (Amended P.L. 94-581, § 102 (2).)

(7) The term "domiciliary care" includes necessary medical services and travel and incidental expenses pursuant to the provisions of section 111 of this title. (Amended P.L. 94-581, § 102 (3).)

(8) The term "rehabilitative services" means such professional counseling, and guidance services and treatment programs (other than those types of vocational rehabilitation services provided under chapter 31 of this title) as are necessary to restore, to the maximum extent possible, the physical, mental, and psychological functioning of an ill or disabled person. (Added P.L. 94-581, § 102(4).)

§ 602. Presumption relating to psychosis

For the purposes of this chapter, any veteran of World War II, the Korean conflict, or the Vietnam era who developed an active psychosis (1) within two years after his discharge or release from the active military, naval, or air service, and (2) before July 26, 1949, in the case of a veteran of World War II, or February 1, 1957, in the case of a veteran of the Korean conflict, or before the expiration of two years following termination of the Vietnam era in the case of a Vietnam era veteran, shall be deemed to have incurred such disability in the active military, naval, or air service. (Amended P.L. 90-77, § 203 (a).)

Subchapter II-Hospital, Nursing Home or Domiciliary Care and Medical Treatment

§ 610. Eligibility for hospital, nursing home and domiciliary care (a) The Administrator, within the limits of Veterans' Administration facilities, may furnish hospital care or nursing home care which the Administrator determines is needed to

(1) (A) any veteran for a service-connected disability; or (B) any veteran for a non-service-connected disability if such veteran is unable to defray the expenses of necessary hospital or nursing home care;

(2) a veteran whose discharge or release from the active military, naval, or air service was for a disability incurred or aggravated in line of duty;

(3) a person who is in receipt of, or but for the receipt of retirement pay would be entitled to, disability compensation; and

(4) any veteran for a non-service-connected disability if such veteran is sixty-five years of age or older. (Amended P.L. 87-583, §1; P.L. 89-358, § 8; P.L. 91-500, § 4; P.L. 93-82, § 102 (1), (2); P.L. 94-581, §§ 202 (d) (2), 210(1) (A), (B).)

(b) The Administrator, within the limits of Veterans' Administration facilities, may furnish domiciliary care to

(1) a veteran who was discharged or released from the active military, naval, or air service for a disability incurred or aggravated in line of duty, or a person who is in receipt of disability compensation, when such person is suffering from a permanent disability or tuberculosis or neuropsychiatric ailment and is incapacitated from earning a living and has no adequate means of support; and

(2) a veteran who is in need of domiciliary care if such veteran is unable to defray the expenses of necessary domiciliary care. (Amended P.L. 89-358, § 8; P.L. 94-581, §§ 202(d) (3), 210(1) (B), (C).)

(c) While any veteran is receiving hospital care or nursing home care in any Veterans' Administration facility, the Administrator may, within the limits of Veterans' Administration facilities, furnish medical services to correct or treat any non-service-connected disability of such veteran, in addition to treatment incident to the disability for which such veteran is hospitalized, if the veteran is willing, and the Administrator finds such services to be reasonably necessary to protect the health of such veteran. (Added P.L. 89-785, § 304; amended P.L. 93-82, § 102 (3); P.L. 94-581, § 210 (a) (1) (B).)

(d) In no case may nursing home care be furnished in a hospital not under the direct jurisdiction of the Administrator except as provided in section 620 of this title. (Added P.L. 93-82, § 102(4); P.L. 94-581, § 202 (d) (4).)

§ 611. Care during examinations and in emergencies

(a) The Administrator may furnish hospital care incident to physical examinations where such examinations are necessary in carrying out the provisions of other laws administered by the Administrator. (Amended P.L. 94-581, § 210 (a) (2) (A).)

(b) The Administrator may furnish hospital care or medical services as a humanitarian service in emergency cases, but the Administrator shall charge for such care at rates prescribed by the Administrator. (Amended P.L. 94-581, §§ 202 (e) (2), 210 (a) (2) (B).)

§ 612. Eligibility for medical treatment

(a) Except as provided in subsection (b), the Administrator, within the limits of Veterans' Administration facilities, may furnish such medical services as the Administrator finds to be reasonably necessary to any veteran for a service-connected disability. The Administrator may also furnish to any such veteran such home health services as the Administrator finds to be necessary or appropriate for the effective and economical treatment of such disability (including only such improvements and structural alterations the cost of which does not exceed $2,500 (or reimbursement up to such amount) as are necessary to assure the continuation of treatment for such disability or to provide access to the home or to essential lavatory and sanitary facilities. In

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