96 STAT. 72
Health-care resources sharing guidelines.
10 USC 1071 et
Sharing agreements.
Reimbursement.
Agreement proposals, submittal.
Reimbursement methodology provisions.
PUBLIC LAW 97-174—MAY 4, 1982 ing to the sharing of health-care resources described in such paragraph, and (B) such other matters as the Committee considers appropriate in order to promote such sharing of health-care resources. "(c)(1) After considering the recommendations made under subsection (b)(4) of this section, the Administrator and the Secretary of Defense shall jointly establish guidelines to promote the sharing of health-care resources between the agencies. Guidelines established under this subsection shall provide for such sharing consistent with the health-care responsibilities of the Veterans' Administration under this title and with the health-care responsibilities of the Department of Defense under chapter 55 of title 10 and so as not to adversely affect the range of services, the quality of care, or the established priorities for care provided by either agency. "(2) Guidelines established under paragraph (1) of this subsection shall authorize the heads of individual medical facilities of the agencies to enter into health-care resources sharing agreements in accordance with subsection (d) of this section and shall include guidelines for such agreements. "(d)(1) The head of each medical facility of either agency is authorized to enter into sharing agreements with the heads of medical facilities of the other agency in accordance with guidelines established under subsection (c) of this section. Under any such agreement, an individual who is a primary beneficiary of one agency may be provided health care at a facility of the other agency that is a party to the sharing agreement. "(2) Each such agreement shall identify the health-care resources to be shared. "(3) Each such agreement shall provide, and shall specify procedures designed to ensure, that the availability of direct health care to individuals who are not primary beneficiaries of the providing agency (A) is on a referral basis from the facility of the other agency, and (B) does not (as determined by the head of the facility of the providing agency) adversely affect the range of services, the quality of care, or the established priorities for care provided to the primary beneficiaries of the providing agency. "(4) Each such agreement shall provide that a providing agency shall be reimbursed for the cost of the health-care resources provided under the agreement and that the rate for such reimbursement shall be determined in accordance with the methodology agreed to pursuant to subsection (e) of this section. "(5) Each proposal for an agreement under paragraph (1) of this subsection shall be submitted to the Chief Medical Director and the Assistant Secretary and shall be effective as an agreement in accordance with its terms (A) on the forty-sixth day after the receipt of such proposal by both such officials, unless earlier disapproved by either such official, or (B) if earlier approved by both such officials, on the date of such approval. "(e) Reimbursement under any sharing agreement entered into under subsection (d) of this section shall be based upon a methodology that is agreed upon by the Chief Medical Director and the Assistant Secretary and that provides appropriate flexibility to the heads of the facilities concerned to take into account local conditions and needs and the actual costs to the providing agency's facility of the health-care resources provided. Any funds received through such a reimbursement shall be credited to funds that have been allotted to the facility that provided the care or services.
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