(a) Persons entitled to medical services

Subject 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 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

The Service shall provide all services referred to in subsection (a) required by the Coast Guard or National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration and shall perform all duties prescribed by statute in connection with the examinations to determine physical or mental condition for purposes of appointment, enlistment, and reenlistment, promotion and retirement, and officers of the Service assigned to duty on Coast Guard or National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration vessels may extend aid to the crews of American vessels engaged in deep-sea fishing.