12 2 STA T .458PUBLIC LA W 11 0– 181 —J A N .28 , 2008 Subti t leC—H e a lt h Ca r e M atter sSEC.163 1. M E DI C AL CA R EA N D OTH ER B ENE F ITS FOR MEMBERS AND FORMER MEMBERS OF THE ARMED FORCES W ITH SE V ERE IN JU RIES OR ILLNESSES. (a)MEDICAL A N D D EN T AL C A R E FO R F OR M ER MEM B ER S.— ( 1 ) I N G ENERAL.— Ef f ectiv ea so ft h e d ateofthee n act m ent of this A ctands ubj ect to r e g u l ations p rescribed b y the S ec - retary of Defense , the Secretary may authori z e that any former member of the Armed Forces w ith a serious injury or illness may receive the same medical and dental care as a member of the Armed Forces on active duty for medical and dental care not reasonably available to such former member in the Department of V eterans Affairs. ( 2 )S U NSET.— T he Secretary of Defense may not provide medical or dental care to a former member of the Armed Forces under this subsection after December 3 1,2 0 12, if the Secretary has not provided medical or dental care to the former member under this subsection before that date. (b) R E H ABILITATION AND VOCATIONAL B ENEFITS.— (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 benefits (including rehabilitation and vocational benefits, but not including com- pensation) from the Secretary of Veterans Affairs to facilitate the recovery and rehabilitation of such member as the Secretary otherwise provides to veterans 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. (2) SUNSET.—The Secretary of Veterans Affairs may not provide benefits to a member of the Armed Forces under this subsection after December 31, 2012, if the Secretary has not provided benefits to the member under this subsection before that date. SEC. 163 2 . REIMBURSEMENT OF TRAVEL E XP ENSES OF RETIRED MEM - BERS WITH COMBAT-RELATED DISABILITIES FOR FOL- LOW-ON SPECIALT Y CARE , SERVICES, AND SUPPLIES. (a) TRA V EL.—Section 10 74 i of title 10, U nited States Code, is amended— (1) by redesignating subsection (b) as subsection (c)
and (2) by inserting after subsection (a) the following new sub- section (b)
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‘(b) O UTREACH P ROGRAM AND TRAVEL REIMBURSEMENT FOR FOLLO W -ON S P ECIALT Y CARE AND RELATED SERVICES.—The Sec- retary concerned shall ensure that an outreach program is imple- mented for each member of the uniformed services who incurred a combat-related disability and is entitled to retired or retainer pay, or e q uivalent pay, so that— ‘‘(1) the progress of the member is closely monitored; and ‘‘(2) the member receives the travel reimbursement author- ized by subsection (a) whenever the member requires follow- on specialty care, services, or supplies. ’ ’. Ef f ectiv e da te s.10USC 10 7 1 no te.
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