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Subtitle B—Health Care
PART I—ENHANCED AVAILABILITY OF CARE FOR
SERVICEMEMBERS
SEC. 1621. MEDICAL CARE AND OTHER BENEFITS FOR MEM-
BERS AND FORMER MEMBERS OF THE ARMED
FORCES WITH SEVERE INJURIES OR ILL-
NESSES.
(a) MEDICAL AND DENTAL CARE FOR MEMBERS AND
FORMER MEMBERS.—
(1) IN GENERAL.—Effective as of the date of the
enactment of this Act and subject to regulations pre-
scribed by the Secretary of Defense, any covered mem-
ber of the Armed Forces, and any former member of
the Armed Forces, with a severe injury or illness is
entitled to medical and dental care in any facility of
the uniformed services under section 1074(a) of title
10, United States Code, or through any civilian
health care provider authorized by the Secretary to
provide health and mental health services to members
of the uniformed services, including traumatic brain
injury (TBI) and post-traumatic stress disorder
(PTSD), as if such member or former member were
a member of the uniformed services described in para-
graph (2) of such section who is entitled to medical
and dental care under such section.
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(2) PERIOD OF AUTHORIZED CARE.—(A) Except
as provided in subparagraph (B), a member or
former member described in paragraph (1) is entitled
to care under that paragraph—
(i) in the case of a member or former mem-
ber whose severe injury or illness concerned is in-
curred or aggravated during the period begin-
ning on October 7, 2001, and ending on the date
of the enactment of this Act, during the three-
year period beginning on the date of the enact-
ment of this Act, except that no compensation is
payable by reason of this subsection for any pe-
riod before the date of the enactment of this Act;
or
(ii) in the case of a member or former mem-
ber whose severe injury or illness concerned is in-
curred or aggravated on or after the date of the
enactment of this Act, during the three-year pe-
riod beginning on the date on which such injury
or illness is so incurred or aggravated.
(B) The period of care authorized for a member
or former member under this paragraph may be ex-
tended by the Secretary concerned for an additional
period of up to two years if the Secretary concerned
determines that such extension is necessary to assure
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the maximum feasible recovery and rehabilitation of
the member or former member. Any such determina-
tion shall be made on a case-by-case basis.
(3) INTEGRATED CARE MANAGEMENT.—The Sec-
retary of Defense shall provide for a program of inte-
grated care management in the provision of care and
services under this subsection, which management
shall be provided by appropriate medical and case
management personnel of the Department of Defense
and the Department of Veterans Affairs (as approved
by the Secretary of Veterans Affairs) and with appro-
priate support from the Department of Defense re-
gional health care support contractors.
(4) WAIVER
OF
LIMITATIONS
TO
MAXIMIZE
CARE.—The Secretary of Defense may, in providing
medical and dental care to a member or former mem-
ber under this subsection during the period referred to
in paragraph (2), waive any limitation otherwise ap-
plicable under chapter 55 of title 10, United States
Code, to the provision of such care to the member or
former member if the Secretary considers the waiver
appropriate to assure the maximum feasible recovery
and rehabilitation of the member or former member.
(5) CONSTRUCTION WITH ELIGIBILITY FOR VET-
ERANS BENEFITS.—Nothing in this subsection shall be
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construed to reduce, alter, or otherwise affect the eligi-
bility or entitlement of a member or former member
of the Armed Forces to any health care, disability, or
other benefits to which the member of former member
would otherwise be eligible or entitled as a veteran
under the laws administered by the Secretary of Vet-
erans Affairs.
(6) SUNSET.—The Secretary of Defense may not
provide medical or dental care to a member or former
member of the Armed Forces under this subsection
after December 31, 2012, if the Secretary has not pro-
vided medical or dental care to the member or former
member under this subsection before that date.
(b) REHABILITATION AND VOCATIONAL BENEFITS.—
(1) IN GENERAL.—Effective as of the date of the
enactment of this Act, a member of the Armed Forces
with a severe injury or illness is entitled to such bene-
fits (including rehabilitation and vocational benefits,
but not including compensation) from the Secretary
of Veterans Affairs to facilitate the recovery and reha-
bilitation of such member as the Secretary otherwise
provides to members of the Armed Forces receiving
medical care in medical facilities of the Department
of Veterans Affairs facilities in order to facilitate the
recovery and rehabilitation of such members.