the case of any veteran discharged or released from the active military, naval, or air service for a disability incurred or aggravated in line of duty, such services may be so furnished for that disability, whether or not service-connected for the purposes of this chapter. (Amended P.L. 87-583, 2; P.L. 94-581, §§ 103 (a) (1), 210 (a) (3) (A).)

(b) Outpatient dental services and treatment, and related dental appliances, shall be furnished under this section only for a dental condition or disability

(1) which is service-connected and compensable in degree;

(2) which is service-connected, but not compensable in degree, but only (A) if it is shown to have been in existence at time of discharge or release from active military, naval, or air service and (B) if application for treatment is made within one year after such discharge or release, except that if a disqualifying discharge or release has been corrected by competent authority, application may be made within one year after the date of correction or the date of enactment of this exception, whichever is later;

(3) which is a service-connected dental condition or disability due to combat wounds or other service trauma, or of a former prisoner of war;

(4) which is associated with and is aggravating a disability resulting from some other disease or injury which was incurred in or aggravated by active military, naval, or air service;

(5) which is a non-service-connected condition or disability of a veteran for which treatment was begun while such veteran was receiving hospital care under this chapter and such services and treatment are reasonably necessary to complete such treatment; or

(6) from which a veteran of the Spanish-American War or Indian Wars is suffering. (Amended P.L. 87-377, §1; P.L. 88430; P.L. 94-581, § 103 (a) (2).)

(c) Dental services and related appliances for a dental condition of disability described in clause (2) of subsection (b) of this section shall be furnished on a one-time completion basis, unless the services rendered on a one-time completion basis are found unacceptable within the limitations of good professional standards, in which event such additional services may be afforded as are required to complete professionally acceptable treatment.

(d) Dental appliances, wheelchairs, artificial limbs, trusses, special clothing, and similar appliances to be furnished by the Administrator under this section may be procured by the Administrator either by purchase or by manufacture, whichever the Administrator determines may be advantageous and reasonably necessary. (Amended P.L. 94-581, § 210(a) (3) (B).)

(e) Any disability of a veteran of the Spanish-American War or Indian Wars, upon application for the benefits of this section or outpatient medical services under section 624 of this title, shall be considered for the purposes thereof to be a service-connected disability incurred or aggravated in a period of war. (Amended P.L. 87-377, §1; P.L. 94-581, § 202 (f) (1).)

(f) The Administrator, within the limits of Veterans' Administration facilities, may furnish medical services for any disability on an outpatient or ambulatory basis

(1) to any veteran eligible for hospital care under section 610 of this title (A) where such services are reasonably necessary in preparation for, or (to the extent that facilities are available) to obviate the need of, hospital admission, or (B) where such a veteran has been furnished hospital care and such medical services. are reasonably necessary to complete treatment incident to such hospital care (for a period not in excess of twelve months after discharge from in-hospital treatment, except where the Administrator finds that a longer period is required by virtue of the disability being treated); and

(2) to any veteran who has a service-connected disability rated at 50 per centum or more. The Administrator may also furnish to any such veteran such home. health services as the Administrator determines to be necessary or appropriate for the effective and economical treatment of a disability of a veteran (including only such improvements and structural alterations the cost of which does not exceed $600 (or reimbursement up to such amount) as are necessary to assure the continuation of treatment or provide access to the home or to essential lavatory and sanitary facilities). (Added P.L. 86-639, § 1; amended P.L. 91-102; P.L. 93-82, § 103 (a); P.L. 94-581, §§ 103 (a) (3)-(7), 202(f) (2).)

(g) Where any veteran is in receipt of increased pension or additional compensation or allowance based on the need of regular aid and attendance or by reason of being permanently housebound, or who, but for the receipt of retired pay, would be in receipt of such pension, compensation, or allowance, the Administrator, within the limits of Veterans' Administration facilities, may furnish the veteran such medical services as the Administrator finds to be reasonably necessary. (Added P.L. 88-450, 87: amended P.L. 91-500, § 2; P.L. 94-581, §§ 202(f) (3), 210 (a) (3) (C).)

(h) The Administrator shall furnish to each veteran who is receiving additional compensation or allowance under chapter 11, or increased pension as a veteran of the Mexican border period, World War I, World War II, the Korean conflict, or the Vietnam era, by reason of being permanently housebound or in need of regular aid and attendance, such drugs and medicines as may be ordered on prescription of a duly licensed physician as specific therapy in the treatment of any illness or injury suffered by such veteran. The Administrator shall continue to furnish such drugs and medicines so ordered to any such veteran in need of regular aid and attendance whose pension payments have been discontinued solely because such veteran's annual income is greater than the applicable maximum annual income limitation, but only so long as such veteran's annual income does not exceed such maximum annual income limitation by more than $1,000. (Added P.L. 88-664, 8; amended P.L. 90-77, § 203 (b); P.L. 91-500, § 3; P.L. 91-588, §§ 4, 9(f); P.L. 94-581, § 210 (a) (3) (D); P.L. 95-588, $302.)

(i) Not later than ninety days after the effective date of this subsection, the Administrator shall prescribe regulations to ensure that special priority in furnishing medical services under this section and any other outpatient care with funds appropriated for the medical.

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care of veterans shall be accorded in the following order, unless compelling medical reasons require that such care be provided more expeditiously:

(1) To any veteran for a service-connected disability.

(2) To any veteran described in subsection (f) (2) of this

section.

(3) To any veteran with a disability rated as serviceconnected.

(4) To any veteran being furnished medical services under subsection (g) of this section. (Added P.L. 94-581, § 103 (a) (8).) (j) In order to assist the Secretary of Health, Education, and Welfare in carrying out national immunization programs pursuant to other provisions of law, the Administrator may authorize the administration of immunizations to eligible veterans (voluntarily requesting such immunizations) in connection with the provision of care for a disability under this chapter in any Veterans' Administration health care facility, utilizing vaccine furnished by the Secretary at no cost to the Veterans' Administration, and for such purpose, notwithstanding any other provision of law, the Secretary is authorized to provide such vaccine to the Veterans' Administration at no cost and the provisions of section 4116 of this title shall apply to claims alleging negli gence or malpractice on the part of Veterans' Administration personnel granted immunity under such section. (Added P.L. 94-581, § 103 (a) (8).)

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

(a) The Administrator is authorized to provide medical care, in accordance with the provisions of subsection (b) of this section, for(1) the wife or child of a veteran who has a total disability, permanent in nature, resulting from a service-connected disability, and

(2) the widow or child of a veteran who (A) died as a result of a service-connected disability, or (B) at the time of death had a total disability permanent in nature, resulting from a serviceconnected disability,

who are not otherwise eligible for medical care under chapter 55 of title 10 (CHAMPUS). (Added P.L. 93-82, § 103(b); amended P.L. 94-581, § 104).)

(b) In order to accomplish the purposes of subsection (a) of this section, the Administrator shall provide for medical care in the same or similar manner and subject to the same or similar limitations as medical care is furnished to certain dependents and survivors of active duty and retired members of the Armed Forces under chapter 55 of title 10 (CHAMPUS), by

(1) entering into an agreement with the Secretary of Defense under which the Secretary shall include coverage for such medical care under the contract, or contracts, the Secretary enters into to carry out such chapter 55, and under which the Administrator shall fully reimburse the Secretary for all costs and expenditures made for the purposes of affording the medical care authorized pursuant to this section; or

(2) contracting in accordance with such regulations as the Administrator shall prescribe for such insurance, medical service, or health plans as the Administrator deems appropriate.

In cases in which Veterans' Administration medical facilities are particularly equipped to provide the most effective care and treatment, the Administrator is also authorized to carry out such purposes through the use of such facilities not being utilized for the care of eligible veterans. (Added P.L. 93-82, § 103(b); amended P.L. 94–581, § 210 (a) (4).)

§ 614. Fitting and training in use of prosthetic appliances; seeingeye dogs

(a) Any veteran who is entitled to a prosthetic appliance shall be furnished such fitting and training, including institutional training, on the use of such appliance as may be necessary, whether in a Veterans' Administration facility or other training institution, or by outpatient treatment, including such service under contract, and including necessary travel expenses to and from such veteran's home to such hospital or training institution. (Amended P.L. 93-82, § 103 (b); P.L. 94– 581, § 210(a) (5) (A).)

(b) The Administrator may provide seeing-eye or guide dogs trained for the aid of the blind to veterans who are entitled to disability compensation, and may pay all necessary travel expenses to and from their homes and incurred in becoming adjusted to such seeing-eye or guide dogs. The Administrator may also provide such veterans with mechanical or electronic equipment for aiding them in overcoming the handicap of blindness. (Amended P.L. 93-82, § 103(b); P.L. 94-581, § 210 (a) (5) (B).)

§ 615. Tobacco for hospitalized veterans

The Administrator may furnish tobacco to veterans receiving hospital or domiciliary care.

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

When so specified in an appropriation or other Act, the Administrator may make allotments and transfers to the Departments of Health, Education, and Welfare (Public Health Service), the Army, Navy, Air Force, or Interior, for disbursement by them under the various headings of their appropriations, of such amounts as are necessary for the care and treatment of veterans entitled to hospitalization from the Veterans' Administration under this chapter. The amounts. to be charged the Veterans' Administration for care and treatment of veterans in hospitals shall be calculated on the basis of a per diem rate approved by the Office of Management and Budget. (Amended P.L. 94-581, § 202 (g).)

§617. Invalid lifts and other devices

The Administrator may furnish an invalid lift, or any type of therapeutic or rehabilitative device, as well as other medical equipment and supplies (excluding medicines), if medically indicated, to any veteran who is receiving (1) compensation under subsections 314 (1)-(p) (or the comparable rates provided pursuant to section 334) of this title, or (2) pension under chapter 15 of this title by reason

of being in need of regular aid and attendance. (Added P.L. 86-211, $5; amended P.L. 88-450, § 6(a); P.L. 90-77, § 109; P.L. 90-493, § 3 (a).)

§ 618. Therapeutic and rehabilitation activities

(a) In providing rehabilitative services under this chapter, the Administrator, upon the recommendation of the Chief Medical Director, may utilize the services of patients and members in Veterans' Administration health care facilities for therapeutic and rehabilitative purposes, at nominal remuneration, and such patients and members shall not under these circumstances be held or considered as employees of the United States for any purpose. The Administrator shall prescribe the conditions for the utilization of such services. (Added P.L. 87-574, § 2(1); amended P.L. 94-581, § 105 (a) (1), (2).) (b) (1) In furnishing rehabilitative services under this chapter, the Administrator, upon the recommendation of the Chief Medical Director, may enter into contractual arrangements with private industry or other sources outside the Veterans' Administration to provide for therapeutic work for remuneration for patients and members in Veterans' Administration health care facilities.

(2) Notwithstanding any other provision of law, the Administrator may also furnish rehabilitative services under this subsection through contractual arrangements with nonprofit entities to provide for such therapeutic work for such patients. The Administrator shall establish appropriate fiscal, accounting, management, recordkeeping, and reporting requirements with respect to the activities of any such nonprofit entity in connection with such contractual arrangements. (Added P.L. 94-581, § 105 (a) (3).)

(c) (1) There is hereby established in the Treasury of the United States a revolving fund known as the Veterans' Administration Special Therapeutic and Rehabilitation Activities Fund (hereinafter in this section referred to as the "fund") for the purpose of carrying out the provisions of subsection (b) of this section. Such amounts of the fund as the Administrator may determine to be necessary to establish and maintain operating accounts for the various rehabilitative services activities may be deposited in checking accounts in other depositaries selected or established by the Administrator.

(2) All funds received by the Veterans' Administration under contractual arrangements made under subsection (b) of this section, or by nonprofit entities described in paragraph (2) of such subsection, shall be deposited in or credited to the fund, and the Administrator shall pay out of the fund moneys to participants at rates not less than the wage rates specified in the Fair Labor Standards Act (29 U.S.C. 201 et seq.) and regulations prescribed thereunder for work of similar character.

(3) The Chief Medical Director shall prepare, for inclusion in the annual report submitted to Congress under section 214 of this title, a description of the scope and achievements of activities carried out under this section (including pertinent data regarding productivity and wage rates) during the prior twelve months and an estimate of the needs of the program of therapeutic and rehabilitation activities to be carried out under this section for the ensuing fiscal year. (Added P.L. 94-581, § 105 (a) (3).)