1. U.S. Code
  2. title 42
  3. chapter 6A
  4. subchapter II
  5. part C
  6. § 248

Collapse to view only § 248. Control and management of hospitals; furnishing prosthetic and orthopedic devices; transfer of patients; disposal of articles produced by patients; disposal of money and effects of deceased patients; payment of burial expenses

§ 247e. National Hansen’s Disease Programs Center
(a) Care and treatment
(1) At or through the National Hansen’s Disease Programs Center (located in the State of Louisiana), the Secretary shall without charge provide short-term care and treatment, including outpatient care, for Hansen’s disease and related complications to any person determined by the Secretary to be in need of such care and treatment. The Secretary may not at or through such Center provide long-term care for any such disease or complication.
(2) The Center referred to in paragraph (1) shall conduct training in the diagnosis and management of Hansen’s disease and related complications, and shall conduct and promote the coordination of research (including clinical research), investigations, demonstrations, and studies relating to the causes, diagnosis, treatment, control, and prevention of Hansen’s disease and other mycobacterial diseases and complications related to such diseases.
(3) Paragraph (1) is subject to section 211 of the Department of Health and Human Services Appropriations Act, 1998.
(b) Additional sites authorized
(c) Agency designated by Secretary
(d) Payments to Board of Health of Hawaii
(July 1, 1944, ch. 373, title III, § 320, formerly § 331, 58 Stat. 698; June 25, 1948, ch. 654, § 4, 62 Stat. 1018; June 25, 1952, ch. 460, 66 Stat. 157; Pub. L. 86–624, § 29(b), July 12, 1960, 74 Stat. 419; renumbered § 339, Pub. L. 94–484, title IV, § 407(b)(2), Oct. 12, 1976, 90 Stat. 2268; renumbered § 320, and amended Pub. L. 95–626, title I, § 105(a), Nov. 10, 1978, 92 Stat. 3560; Pub. L. 96–32, § 7(b), July 10, 1979, 93 Stat. 84; Pub. L. 99–117, § 2(a), Oct. 7, 1985, 99 Stat. 491; Pub. L. 105–78, title II, § 211(h), Nov. 13, 1997, 111 Stat. 1494; Pub. L. 107–220, § 1(a), Aug. 21, 2002, 116 Stat. 1332.)

CITE AS: 42 USC 247e

§ 248. Control and management of hospitals; furnishing prosthetic and orthopedic devices; transfer of patients; disposal of articles produced by patients; disposal of money and effects of deceased patients; payment of burial expenses
The Surgeon General, pursuant to regulations, shall—
(a) Control, manage, and operate all institutions, hospitals, and stations of the Service, including minor repairs and maintenance, and provide for the care, treatment, and hospitalization of patients, including the furnishing of prosthetic and orthopedic devices; and from time to time, with the approval of the President, select suitable sites for and establish such additional institutions, hospitals, and stations in the States and possessions of the United States as in his judgment are necessary to enable the Service to discharge its functions and duties;
(b) Provide for the transfer of Public Health Service patients, in the care of attendants where necessary, between hospitals and stations operated by the Service or between such hospitals and stations and other hospitals and stations in which Public Health Service patients may be received, and the payment of expenses of such transfer;
(c) Provide for the disposal of articles produced by patients in the course of their curative treatment, either by allowing the patient to retain such articles or by selling them and depositing the money received therefor to the credit of the appropriation from which the materials for making the articles were purchased;
(d) Provide for the disposal of money and effects, in the custody of the hospitals or stations, of deceased patients; and
(e) Provide, to the extent the Surgeon General determines that other public or private funds are not available therefor, for the payment of expenses of preparing and transporting the remains of, or the payment of reasonable burial expenses for, any patient dying in a hospital or station.
(July 1, 1944, ch. 373, title III, § 321, 58 Stat. 695; June 25, 1948, ch. 654, § 2, 62 Stat. 1017; Pub. L. 95–622, title II, § 266, Nov. 9, 1978, 92 Stat. 3437.)

CITE AS: 42 USC 248

§ 248a. Closing or transfer of hospitals; reduction of services; Congressional authorization required
(a) Except as provided in subsection (b), the Secretary of Health and Human Services shall take such action as may be necessary to assure that the hospitals of the Public Health Service, located in Seattle, Washington, Boston, Massachusetts, San Francisco, California, Galveston, Texas, New Orleans, Louisiana, Baltimore, Maryland, Staten Island, New York, and Norfolk, Virginia, shall con­tinue—
(1) in operation as hospitals of the Public Health Service,
(2) to provide for all categories of individuals entitled or authorized to receive care and treatment at hospitals or other stations of the Public Health Service inpatient, outpatient, and other health care services in like manner as such services were provided on January 1, 1973, to such categories of individuals at the hospitals of the Public Health Service referred to in the matter preceding paragraph (1) and at a level and range at least as great as the level and range of such services which were provided (or authorized to be provided) by such hospitals on such date, and
(3) to conduct at such hospitals a level and range of other health-related activities (including training and research activities) which is not less than the level and range of such activities which were being conducted on January 1, 1973, at such hospitals.
(b)
(1) The Secretary may—
(A) close or transfer control of a hospital of the Public Health Service to which subsection (a) applies,
(B) reduce the level and range of health care services provided at such a hospital from the level and range required by subsection (a)(2) or change the manner in which such services are provided at such a hospital from the manner required by such subsection, or
(C) reduce the level and range of the other health-related activities conducted at such hospital from the level and range required by subsection (a)(3),
if Congress by law (enacted after November 16, 1973) specifically authorizes such action.
(2) Any recommendation submitted to the Congress for legislation to authorize an action described in paragraph (1) with respect to a hospital of the Public Health Service shall be accompanied by a copy of the written, unqualified approval of the proposed action submitted to the Secretary by each (A) section 314(a) State health planning agency whose section 314(a) plan covers (in whole or in part) the area in which such hospital is located or which is served by such hospital, and (B) section 314(b) areawide health planning agency whose section 314(b) plan covers (in whole or in part) such area.
(3) For purposes of this subsection, the term “section 314(a) State health planning agency” means the agency of a State which administers or supervises the administration of a State’s health planning functions under a State plan approved under section 314(a) of the Public Health Service Act (referred to in paragraph (2) as a “section 314(a) plan”); and the term “section 314(b) areawide health planning agency” means a public or nonprofit private agency or organization which has developed a comprehensive regional, metropolitan, or other local area plan or plans referred to in section 314(b) of that Act (referred to in paragraph (2) as a “section 314(b) plan”).
(Pub. L. 93–155, title VIII, § 818(a), (b), Nov. 16, 1973, 87 Stat. 622; Pub. L. 96–88, title V, § 509(b), Oct. 17, 1979, 93 Stat. 695.)

CITE AS: 42 USC 248a

§ 248b. Transfer or financial self-sufficiency of public health service hospitals and clinics
(a) Deadline for closure, transfer, or financial self-sufficiency
(b) Proposals for transfer or financial self-sufficiency
(c) Evaluation of proposalsThe Secretary shall evaluate promptly each proposal submitted under subsection (b) with respect to a hospital or other station and determine, not later than September 30, 1981, whether or not under such proposal the hospital or station—
(1) will be maintained as a general health care facility providing a range of services to the population within its service area,
(2) will continue to make services available to existing patient populations, and
(3) has a reasonable expectation of financial viability and, in the case of a hospital or station that is not proposed to be transferred, of financial self-sufficiency.
Paragraph (1) shall not apply in the case of a proposal for the transfer of a discrete, minor, freestanding part of a hospital or station to a local public entity for the purpose of continuing the provision of services to refugees.
(d) Rejection or approval of proposal
(1) If the Secretary determines that a proposal for a hospital or other station does not meet the standards of subsection (c) or if there is no proposal submitted under subsection (b) with respect to a hospital or other station, the Secretary shall provide for the closure of the hospital or station by not later than October 31, 1981.
(2) If the Secretary determines that a proposal for a hospital or other station meets the standards of subsection (c), the Secretary shall take such steps, within the amounts available through appropriations, as may be necessary and proper—
(A) to operate (or participate or assist in the operation of) the hospital or station by the Service until the transfer is accomplished or financial self-sufficiency is achieved,
(B) to bring the hospital or station into compliance with applicable licensure, accreditation, and local medical practice standards, and
(C) to provide for such other legal, administrative, personnel, and financial arrangements (including allowing payments made with respect to services provided by the hospital or station to be made directly to that hospital or station) as may be necessary to effect a timely and orderly transfer of such hospital or station (including the land, building, and equipment thereof) from the Service, or for the financial self-sufficiency of the hospital or station, not later than September 30, 1982.
(e) Establishment of identifiable administrative unit
(f) Finding of financial self-sufficiency
(Pub. L. 97–35, title IX, § 987, Aug. 13, 1981, 95 Stat. 603.)

CITE AS: 42 USC 248b

§§ 248c, 248d. Repealed. Pub. L. 104–201, div. A, title VII, § 727(a)(1), (2), Sept. 23, 1996, 110 Stat. 2596

CITE AS: 42 USC 248c, 248d

§ 249. Medical care and treatment of quarantined and detained persons
(a) Persons entitled to treatment
(b) Temporary treatment in emergency cases
(c) Authorization for outside treatment
(July 1, 1944, ch. 373, title III, § 322, 58 Stat. 696; June 25, 1948, ch. 654, § 3, 62 Stat. 1018; Aug. 8, 1956, ch. 1036, § 3, 70 Stat. 1120; Pub. L. 88–424, Aug. 13, 1964, 78 Stat. 398; Pub. L. 90–174, § 10(c), Dec. 5, 1967, 81 Stat. 541; Pub. L. 97–35, title IX, § 986(a), (b)(1), (2), Aug. 13, 1981, 95 Stat. 603.)

CITE AS: 42 USC 249

§ 250. Medical care and treatment of Federal prisoners

The Service shall supervise and furnish medical treatment and other necessary medical, psychiatric, and related technical and scientific services, authorized by section 4005 of title 18, in penal and correctional institutions of the United States.

(July 1, 1944, ch. 373, title III, § 323,

CITE AS: 42 USC 250

§ 250a. Transfer of appropriations

The Attorney General may transfer to the Department of Health and Human Services such amounts as may be necessary for direct expenditures by that Department for medical relief for inmates of Federal penal and correctional institutions.

(Pub. L. 118–42, div. C, title II, Mar. 9, 2024, 138 Stat. 139.)

CITE AS: 42 USC 250a

§ 251. Medical examination and treatment of Federal employees; medical care at remote stations
(a) The Surgeon General is authorized to provide at institutions, hospitals, and station of the Service medical, surgical, and hospital services and supplies for persons entitled to treatment under subchapter I of Chapter 81 of title 5 and extensions thereof. The Surgeon General may also provide for making medical examinations of—
(1) employees of the Federal Government for retirement purposes;
(2) employees in the Federal classified service, and applicants for appointment, as requested by the Director of the Office of Personnel Management for the purpose of promoting health and efficiency;
(3) seamen for purposes of qualifying for certificates of service; and
(4) employees eligible for benefits under the Longshore and Harbor Workers’ Compensation Act, as amended [33 U.S.C. 901 et seq.], as requested by any deputy commissioner thereunder.
(b) The Secretary is authorized to provide medical, surgical, and dental treatment and hospitalization and optometric care for Federal employees (as defined in section 8901(1) of title 5) and their dependents at remote medical facilities of the Public Health Service where such care and treatment are not otherwise available. Such employees and their dependents who are not entitled to this care and treatment under any other provision of law shall be charged for it at rates established by the Secretary to reflect the reasonable cost of providing the care and treatment. Any payments pursuant to the preceding sentence shall be credited to the applicable appropriation to the Public Health Service for the year in which such payments are received.
(July 1, 1944, ch. 373, title III, § 324, 58 Stat. 697; Pub. L. 90–174, § 10(a), (b), Dec. 5, 1967, 81 Stat. 540; 1978 Reorg. Plan No. 2, § 102, eff. Jan. 1, 1979, 43 F.R. 36037, 92 Stat. 3783; Pub. L. 97–468, title VI, § 615(b)(4), Jan. 14, 1983, 96 Stat. 2578; Pub. L. 98–426, § 27(d)(2), Sept. 28, 1984, 98 Stat. 1654.)

CITE AS: 42 USC 251

§ 252. Medical examination of aliens

The Surgeon General shall provide for making, at places within the United States or in other countries, such physical and mental examinations of aliens as are required by the immigration laws, subject to administrative regulations prescribed by the Attorney General and medical regulations prescribed by the Surgeon General with the approval of the Secretary.

(July 1, 1944, ch. 373, title III, § 325, 58 Stat. 697; 1953 Reorg. Plan No. 1, §§ 5, 8, eff. Apr. 11, 1953, 18 F.R. 2053, 67 Stat. 631.)

CITE AS: 42 USC 252

§ 253. Medical services to Coast Guard, National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration, and Public Health Service
(a) Persons entitled to medical servicesSubject 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) commissioned officers of the Regular or Reserve Corps 1
1 See Change of Name note below.
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) The Secretary may provide health care for an officer of the Regular or Reserve Corps 1 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
(July 1, 1944, ch. 373, title III, § 326, 58 Stat. 697; June 7, 1956, ch. 374, § 306(3), 70 Stat. 254; Pub. L. 86–415, § 5(d), Apr. 8, 1960, 74 Stat. 34; Pub. L. 88–71, § 2, July 19, 1963, 77 Stat. 83; 1965 Reorg. Plan No. 2, eff. July 13, 1965, 30 F.R. 8819, 79 Stat. 1318; 1970 Reorg. Plan No. 4, eff. Oct. 3, 1970, 35 F.R. 15627, 84 Stat. 2090; Pub. L. 99–117, § 5, Oct. 7, 1985, 99 Stat. 492.)

CITE AS: 42 USC 253

§ 253a. Medical services to retired personnel of National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration
(a) Eligibility
(b) Treatment of dependents of personnel
(c) Identification
(Pub. L. 88–71, § 1, July 19, 1963, 77 Stat. 83; 1965 Reorg. Plan No. 2, eff. July 13, 1965, 30 F.R. 8819, 79 Stat. 1318; 1970 Reorg. Plan No. 4, eff. Oct. 3, 1970, 35 F.R. 15627, 84 Stat. 2090; Pub. L. 98–498, title III, § 310(b), (c), Oct. 19, 1984, 98 Stat. 2306, 2307.)

CITE AS: 42 USC 253a

§ 253b. Former Lighthouse Service employees; medical service eligibility

Subject to regulations of the President, lightkeepers, assistant lightkeepers, and officers and crews of vessels of the former Lighthouse Service, including any such persons who subsequent to June 30, 1939, were involuntarily assigned to other civilian duty in the Coast Guard, who were entitled to medical relief at hospitals and other stations of the Public Health Service prior to July 1, 1944, and who retired under the provisions of section 763 of title 33, shall be entitled to medical, surgical, and dental treatment and hospitalization at hospitals and other stations of the Public Health Service.

(Pub. L. 93–353, title I, § 108(a), July 23, 1974, 88 Stat. 371.)

CITE AS: 42 USC 253b

§ 254. Interdepartmental work

(July 1, 1944, ch. 373, title III, § 327, 58 Stat. 697; 1953 Reorg. Plan No. 1, §§ 5, 8, eff. Apr. 11, 1953, 18 F.R. 2053, 67 Stat. 631; Pub. L. 96–88, title V, § 509(b), Oct. 17, 1979, 93 Stat. 695.)

CITE AS: 42 USC 254

§ 254a. Sharing of medical care facilities and resources
(a) Definitions
For purposes of this section—
(1) the term “specialized health resources” means health care resources (whether equipment, space, or personnel) which, because of cost, limited availability, or unusual nature, are either unique in the health care community or are subject to maximum utilization only through mutual use;
(2) the term “hospital”, unless otherwise specified, includes (in addition to other hospitals) any Federal hospital.
(b) Statement of purpose; agreements or arrangements; reciprocity; reimbursement; credits
For the purpose of maintaining or improving the quality of care in Public Health Service facilities and to provide a professional environment therein which will help to attract and retain highly qualified and talented health personnel, to encourage mutually beneficial relationships between Public Health Service facilities and hospitals and other health facilities in the health care community, and to promote the full utilization of hospitals and other health facilities and resources, the Secretary may—
(1) enter into agreements or arrangements with schools of medicine, schools of osteopathic medicine, and with other health professions schools, agencies, or institutions, for such interchange or cooperative use of facilities and services on a reciprocal or reimbursable basis, as will be of benefit to the training or research programs of the participating agencies; and
(2) enter into agreements or arrangements with hospitals and other health care facilities for the mutual use or the exchange of use of specialized health resources, and providing for reciprocal reimbursement.
Any reimbursement pursuant to any such agreement or arrangement shall be based on charges covering the reasonable cost of such utilization, including normal depreciation and amortization costs of equipment. Any proceeds to the Government under this subsection shall be credited to the applicable appropriation of the Public Health Service for the year in which such proceeds are received.
(July 1, 1944, ch. 373, title III, § 327A, formerly § 328, as added Pub. L. 90–174, § 7, Dec. 5, 1967, 81 Stat. 539; renumbered § 327A, Pub. L. 95–626, title I, § 113(a)(2), Nov. 10, 1978, 92 Stat. 3562; amended Pub. L. 100–607, title VI, § 629(a)(1), Nov. 4, 1988, 102 Stat. 3146.)

CITE AS: 42 USC 254a