§31.2. Persons entitled to treatment. — Inbound Citations

To the extent and under the circumstances prescribed in §§ 31.2 to 31.10, the following persons shall be entitled to medical, surgical, and dental treatment and hospitalization by the Service:

Except as otherwise provided in §§ 31.3 to 31.10, the persons specified in § 31.2 shall be entitled to medical, surgical, and dental treatment and hospitalization only at medical relief stations and by designated physicians and designated dentists, and the cost of services procured elsewhere shall not be borne by the Service.

(a) When a person specified in § 31.2 who is on active duty requires immediate medical, surgical, or dental treatment or hospitalization and the urgency of the situation does not permit treatment at a medical relief station or by a designated physician or designated dentist, an officer of the same service as the patient may arrange for treatment or hospitalization at the expense of the Service.

(a) An applicant for medical relief who is on active duty shall furnish a certificate identifying him. Such certificate, in the case of Coast Guard personnel, shall be signed by an officer of the Coast Guard, and in the case of National Ocean Survey personnel, shall be signed by an officer of the National Ocean Survey. Commissioned officers of any of the services mentioned in § 31.2 and officers in charge of units may sign their own certificates. In an emergency, the officer in charge of a medical relief station, or a designated physician or designated dentist, may accept other evidence of status satisfactory to him.

No member of any of the services enumerated in § 31.2 shall be entitled when absent without leave to medical relief except at a medical relief station or by a designated physician or designated dentist.

If a member is separated from any of the services enumerated in § 31.2, except persons specified in § 31.2(a) (3) and (5) who shall be entitled to treatment after separation under the conditions set forth in such paragraphs, while undergoing treatment by the Service, his treatment shall be discontinued immediately unless the physician in charge determines that the condition of the patient does not permit interruption of treatment, in which case the treatment shall be discontinued as soon as practicable and the condition of the patient permits. At that time he shall be discharged from treatment and shall not thereafter be afforded medical relief by the Service by reason of his previous service.

(a) A retired member of the Coast Guard, National Ocean Survey, or Public Health Service specified in § 31.2 shall be entitled to medical, surgical, and dental treatment and hospitalization at medical relief stations of the first-, second-, and third-class, upon presentation of satisfactory evidence of his status.

If a member is separated from any of the services enumerated in § 31.2, except persons specified in § 31.2(a) (3) and (5) who shall be entitled to treatment after separation under the conditions set forth in such paragraphs, while undergoing treatment by the Service, his treatment shall be discontinued immediately unless the physician in charge determines that the condition of the patient does not permit interruption of treatment, in which case the treatment shall be discontinued as soon as practicable and the condition of the patient permits. At that time he shall be discharged from treatment and shall not thereafter be afforded medical relief by the Service by reason of his previous service.