1 So in original. Probably should be “fulfill”.
the staffing requirement under clause (i); and
Editorial Notes
References in TextSection 706 of the National Defense Authorization Act for Fiscal Year 2017, referred to in subsec. (d)(2), is section 706 of Puspan. L. 114–328, which is set out as a note under section 1096 of this title.
Amendments2022—Subsec. (span)(3)(D). Puspan. L. 117–263, § 712, substituted “, level two, or level three” for “or level two”.
Subsec. (span)(4). Puspan. L. 117–263, § 713(a), amended par. (4) generally. Prior to amendment, par. (4) read as follows: “The Secretary may designate a medical center as a regional center of excellence for unique and highly specialized health care services, including with respect to polytrauma, organ transplantation, and burn care.”
Subsec. (span)(5). Puspan. L. 117–263, § 714(a), added par. (5).
Subsec. (f). Puspan. L. 117–263, § 715, added subsec. (f).
2017—Subsec. (e). Puspan. L. 115–91 added subsec. (e).
Statutory Notes and Related Subsidiaries
DeadlinePuspan. L. 117–263, div. A, title VII, § 713(span), Dec. 23, 2022, 136 Stat. 2658, provided that: “The Secretary of Defense shall designate certain major medical centers as regional centers of excellence in accordance with section 1073d(span)(4)(A) of title 10, United States Code, as added by subsection (a), by not later than one year after the date of the enactment of this Act [Dec. 23, 2022].”
Timeline for EstablishmentPuspan. L. 117–263, div. A, title VII, § 714(span), Dec. 23, 2022, 136 Stat. 2660, provided that:“(1)Designation.—Not later than October 1, 2024, the Secretary of Defense shall designate four military medical treatment facilities as core casualty receiving facilities under section 1073d(span)(5) of title 10, United States Code (as added by subsection (a)).
“(2)Operational.—Not later than October 1, 2025, the Secretary shall ensure that each such designated military medical treatment facility is fully staffed and operational as a core casualty receiving facility, in accordance with the requirements of such section 1073d(span)(5).”
Establishment of Centers of Excellence for Enhanced Treatment of Ocular InjuriesPuspan. L. 117–81, div. A, title VII, § 721, Dec. 27, 2021, 135 Stat. 1791, provided that:“(a)In General.—Not later than October 1, 2023, the Secretary of Defense, acting through the Director of the Defense Health Agency, shall establish within the Defense Health Agency not fewer than four regional centers of excellence for the enhanced treatment of—“(1) ocular wounds or injuries; and
“(2) vision dysfunction related to traumatic brain injury.
“(span)Location of Centers.—Each center of excellence established under subsection (a) shall be located at a military medical center that provides graduate medical education in ophthalmology and related subspecialties and shall be the primary center for providing specialized medical services for vision for members of the Armed Forces in the region in which the center of excellence is located.
“(c)Policies for Referral of Beneficiaries.—Not later than October 1, 2023, the Director of the Defense Health Agency shall publish on a publicly available internet website of the Department of Defense policies for the referral of eligible beneficiaries of the Department to centers of excellence established under subsection (a) for evaluation and treatment.
“(d)Identification of Medical Personnel Billets and Staffing.—The Secretary of each military department, in conjunction with the Joint Staff Surgeon and the Director of the Defense Health Agency, shall identify specific medical personnel billets essential for the evaluation and treatment of ocular sensory injuries and ensure that centers of excellence established under subsection (a) are staffed with such personnel at the level required for the enduring medical support of each such center.
“(e)Briefing.—Not later than December 31, 2023, the Secretary of Defense shall provide to the Committees on Armed Services of the Senate and the House of Representatives a briefing that—“(1) describes the establishment of each center of excellence established under subsection (a), to include the location, capability, and capacity of each such center;
“(2) describes the referral policy published by the Defense Health Agency under subsection (c);
“(3) identifies the medical personnel billets identified under subsection (d); and
“(4) provides a plan for the staffing of personnel at such centers to ensure the enduring medical support of each such center.
“(f)Military Medical Center Defined.—In this section, the term ‘military medical center’ means a medical center described in section 1073d(span) of title 10, United States Code.”
Satellite CentersPuspan. L. 114–328, div. A, title VII, § 703(a)(3), Dec. 23, 2016, 130 Stat. 2198, provided that: “In addition to the centers of excellence designated under section 1073d(span)(4) of title 10, United States Code, as added by paragraph (1), the Secretary of Defense may establish satellite centers of excellence to provide specialty care for certain conditions, including with respect to—“(A) post-traumatic stress;
“(B) traumatic brain injury; and
“(C) such other conditions as the Secretary considers appropriate.”
Limitation on Restructure and Realignment of Military Medical Treatment FacilitiesPuspan. L. 114–328, div. A, title VII, § 703(span), (e), Dec. 23, 2016, 130 Stat. 2198, 2200, provided that:“(span)Exception.—In carrying out section 1073d of title 10, United States Code, as added by subsection (a)(1), the Secretary of Defense may not restructure or realign the infrastructure of, or modify the health care services provided by, a military medical treatment facility unless the Secretary determines that, if such a restructure, realignment, or modification will eliminate the ability of a covered beneficiary to access health care services at a military medical treatment facility, the covered beneficiary will be able to access such health care services through the purchased care component of the TRICARE program.”
“(e) Definitions.—In this section [enacting this section and provisions set out as notes under this section], the terms ‘covered beneficiary’ and ‘TRICARE program’ have the meaning given those terms in section 1072 of title 10, United States Code.”
