5121. Payment of certain accrued benefits upon death of a beneficiary. 5122. Cancellation of checks mailed to deceased payees.

5123. Rounding down of pension rates.

5124. Acceptance of claimant's statement as proof of relationship.

5125. Acceptance of reports of private physician examinations.

Sec.

CHAPTER 53-SPECIAL PROVISIONS RELATING TO BENEFITS

5301. Nonassignability and exempt status of benefits.

5302. Waiver of recovery of claims by the United States.

5303. Certain bars to benefits.

5303A. Minimum active-duty service requirement.

5304. Prohibition against duplication of benefits.

5305. Waiver of retired pay.

5306. Renouncement of right to benefits.

5307. Apportionment of benefits.

5308. Withholding benefits of persons in territory of the enemy.

5309. Payment of certain withheld benefits.

5310. Payment of benefits for month of death.

5311. Prohibition of certain benefit payments.

5312. Annual adjustment of certain benefit rates.

5313. Limitation on payment of compensation and dependency and indemnity compensation to persons incarcerated for conviction of a felony.

5313A. Limitation on payment of clothing allowance to incarcerated veterans. 5314. Indebtedness offsets.

5315. Interest and administrative cost charges on delinquent payments of certain amounts due the United States.

5316. Authority to sue to collect certain debts.

5317. Use of income information from other agencies: notice and verification. 5318. Review of Department of Health and Human Services death information. 5319. Limitations on access to financial records.

Sec.

5501.

CHAPTER 55—MINORS, INCOMPETENTS, AND OTHER WARDS

Commitment actions.

5502. Payments to and supervision of fiduciaries.

5503. Hospitalized veterans and estates of incompetent institutionalized veterans. 5504. Administration of trust funds.

5703.

Certification of records of District of Columbia.

5704. Transcript of trial records.

5705. Confidentiality of medical quality-assurance records.

SUBCHAPTER II-INVESTIGATIONS

5711. Authority to issue subpoenas.

5712. Validity of affidavits.

5713. Disobedience to subpoena.

Sec.

CHAPTER 59-AGENTS AND ATTORNEYS

5901. Prohibition against acting as claims agent or attorney. 5902. Recognition of representatives of organizations.

5903. Recognition with respect to particular claims. 5904. Recognition of agents and attorneys generally. 5905. Penalty for certain acts.

Sec.

CHAPTER 61-PENAL AND FORFEITURE PROVISIONS

6101. Misappropriation by fiduciaries.

7101. Composition of Board of Veterans' Appeals.

7101A. Members of Board: appointment; pay; performance review. 7102. Assignment of members of Board.

7103. Reconsideration; correction of obvious errors.

7104. Jurisdiction of the Board.

7105. Filing of notice of disagreement and appeal. 7105A. Simultaneously contested claims.

7106. Administrative appeals.

7107. Appeals: dockets; hearings.

7108. Rejection of applications.

7109. Independent medical opinions.

7110. [REPEALED.]

7286. Judicial Conference of the Court of Veterans Appeals.

SUBCHAPTER IV-DECISIONS AND REVIEW

7291. Date when United States Court of Veterans Appeals decision becomes final 7292. Review by United States Court of Appeals for the Federal Circuit.

SUBCHAPTER V-RETIREMENT AND SURVIVORS ANNUITIES

7296. Retirement of judges.

CHAPTER 73-VETERANS HEALTH ADMINISTRATION-ORGANIZATION AND

Sec.

FUNCTIONS

SUBCHAPTER I-ORGANIZATION

7301. Functions of Veterans Health Administration: in general.

7302. Functions of Veterans Health Administration: health-care personnel education and training programs.

7303. Functions of Veterans Health Administration: research programs.

7304. Regulations.

7305. Divisions of Veterans Health Administration.

7306. Office of the Under Secretary for Health.

SUBCHAPTER II-GENERAL AUTHORITY AND ADMINISTRATION

7311. Quality assurance.

7312. Special medical advisory group.

7313. Advisory committees: affiliated institutions.

7314. Geriatric research, education, and clinical centers.

7315. Geriatrics and Gerontology Advisory Committee.

7316. Malpractice and negligence suits: defense by United States.

7317. Hazardous research projects: indemnification of contractors.

7318. National Center for Preventive Health.

7319. Mammography quality standards.

7320. Centers for mental illness research, education, and clinical activities. 7321. Committee on Care of Severely Chronically Mentally Ill Veterans.

SUBCHAPTER III-PROTECTION OF PATIENT RIGHTS

7331. Informed consent.

7332. Confidentiality of certain medical records.

7333. Nondiscrimination against alcohol and drug abusers and persons infected with the human immunodeficiency virus.

7334. Regulations.

SUBCHAPTER IV-RESEARCH CORPORATIONS

7361. Authority to establish; status.

1362. Purpose of corporations.

1363. Board of directors; executive director.

1364. General powers.

'365. Applicable State law.

'366. Accountability and oversight.

'367. Report to Congress.

'368. Expiration of authority.

CHAPTER 74-VETERANS HEALTH ADMINISTRATION-PERSONNEL

SUBCHAPTER I-APPOINTMENTS

lec.

401. Appointments in Veterans Health Administration.

402. Qualifications of appointees.

403. Period of appointments; promotions.

404. Grades and pay scales.

405. Temporary full-time appointments, part-time appointments, and without

compensation appointments.

406. Residencies and internships.

407. Administrative provisions for section 7405 and 7406 appointments.

408. Appointment of additional employees.

409. Contracts for scarce medical specialist services.

410. Additional pay authorities.

411. Full-time board-certified physicians and dentists: reimbursement of continuing professional education expenses.

SUBCHAPTER II-COLLECTIVE BARGAINING AND PERSONNEL ADMINISTRATION

421. Personnel administration: in general.

422. Collective bargaining.

423. Personnel administration: full-time employees.

424. Travel expenses of certain employees.

7425. Employees: laws not applicable.

7426. Retirement rights.

SUBCHAPTER III-SPECIAL PAY FOR PHYSICIANS AND DENTISTS

7431. Special pay: authority.

7432. Special pay: written agreements. 7433. Special pay: full-time physicians. 7434. Special pay: part-time physicians. 7435. Special pay: full-time dentists. 7436. Special pay: part-time dentists. 7437. Special pay: general provisions.

7438. Special pay: coordination with other benefits laws.

7439. Periodic review of pay of physicians and dentists; quadrennial report. 7440. Annual report.

SUBCHAPTER IV-PAY FOR NURSES AND OTHER HEALTH-CARE PERSONNEL 7451. Nurses and other health-care personnel: competitive pay.

7452. Nurses and other health-care personnel: administration of pay.

7453. Nurses: additional pay.

7454. Physician assistants and other health care professionals: additional pay. 7455. Increases in rates of basic pay.

7456. Nurses: special rules for weekend duty.

7457. On-call pay.

7458. Recruitment and retention bonus pay.

SUBCHAPTER V-DISCIPLINARY AND GRIEVANCE PROCEDURES

7461. Adverse actions: section 7401(1) employees.

7462. Major adverse actions involving professional conduct or competence. 7463. Other adverse actions.

7464. Disciplinary Appeals Boards.

SUBCHAPTER VI-REGIONAL MEDICAL EDUCATION CENTERS

7471. Designation of Regional Medical Education Centers.

7472. Supervision and staffing of Centers.

7473. Personnel eligible for training.

7636. Exemption of educational assistance payments from taxation.

SUBCHAPTER V-STIPEND PROGRAM FOR MEMBERS OF THE SELECTED RESERVE

7651. Authority for program.

7652. Eligibility: individuals entitled to benefits under the GI Bill program for members of the Selected Reserve.

7653. Amount of assistance.

7654. Obligated service.

7655. Breach of agreement; liability.

Sec.

CHAPTER 77-VETERANS BENEFITS ADMINISTRATION

SUBCHAPTER 1—ORGANIZATION; GENERAL

7701. Organization of the Administration.

7703. Functions of the Administration.

SUBCHAPTER II-VETERANS OUTREACH SERVICES PROGRAM

7721. Purpose; definitions.

7722. Outreach services.

7723. Veterans assistance offices.

7724. Outstationing of counseling and outreach personnel.

7725. Use of other agencies.

7726. Annual report to. Congress.

Sec.

CHAPTER 78-VETERANS' CANTEEN SERVICE

7801. Purpose of Veterans' Canteen Service.

7802. Duties of Secretary with respect to Service.

7803. Operation of Service.

804. Financing of Service.

805. Revolving fund.

806. Budget of Service.

807. Audit of accounts.

808. Service to be independent unit.

809. Child-care centers.

810. Exemption from personnel ceilings.

PART VI-ACQUISITION AND DISPOSITION OF PROPERTY

HAPTER 81-ACQUISITION AND OPERATION OF HOSPITAL AND DOMICILIARY FACILITIES; PROCUREMENT AND SUPPLY; ENHANCED-USE LEASES OF REAL PROPERTY

ec.

SUBCHAPTER I-ACQUISITION AND OPERATION OF MEDICAL FACILITIES

101. Definitions.

102. Acquisition of medical facilities.

103. Authority to construct and alter, and to acquire sites for, medical facilities. 104. Congressional approval of certain medical facility acquisitions.

105. Structural requirements.

106. Construction contracts.

107. Operational and construction plans for medical facilities.

108.

Contributions to local authorities.

109. Parking facilities.

110. Operation of medical facilities.

11. Sharing of Department and Department of Defense health-care resources. 11A. Furnishing of health-care services to members of the Armed Forces during

a war or national emergency.

12. Partial relinquishment of legislative jurisdiction.

13. Property formerly owned by National Home for Disabled Volunteer Soldiers. 14. Use of federally owned facilities; use of personnel.