---
kind: "section"
citation: "10 U.S.C. § 1078"
title: "10"
title_heading: "Armed Forces"
number: "1078"
heading: "Medical and dental care for dependents: charges"
release: "119-102"
date: "2026-07-12"
url: "https://uscodex.org/usc/10/1078"
units:
  - "Subtitle A — General Military Law"
  - "Part II — Personnel"
  - "Chapter 55 — Medical and Dental Care"
---

# §1078. Medical and dental care for dependents: charges

- (a) The [Secretary](/usc/10/4951.md?p=3) of Defense, after consulting the other [administering Secretaries](/usc/10/1072.md?p=3), shall prescribe fair charges for inpatient medical and dental care given to [dependents](/usc/10/1072.md?p=2) under [section 1076 of this title](/usc/10/1076.md). The charge or charges prescribed shall be applied equally to all classes of [dependents](/usc/10/1072.md?p=2).
- (b) As a restraint on excessive demands for medical and dental care under [section 1076 of this title](/usc/10/1076.md), uniform minimal charges may be imposed for outpatient care. Charges may not be more than such amounts, if any, as the [Secretary](/usc/10/4951.md?p=3) of Defense may prescribe after consulting the other [administering Secretaries](/usc/10/1072.md?p=3), and after a finding that such charges are necessary.
- (c) Amounts received for subsistence and medical and dental care given under [section 1076 of this title](/usc/10/1076.md) shall be deposited to the credit of the appropriation supporting the maintenance and operation of the [facility](/usc/10/2700.md?p=2) furnishing the care.

## Source credit

(Added Pub. L. 85–861, § 1(25)(B), Sept. 2, 1958, 72 Stat. 1448; amended Pub. L. 89–614, § 2(5), Sept. 30, 1966, 80 Stat. 863; Pub. L. 96–513, title V, § 511(36), Dec. 12, 1980, 94 Stat. 2923; Pub. L. 98–557, § 19(6), Oct. 30, 1984, 98 Stat. 2869.)

## Notes

| Historical and Revision Notes |  |  |
| --- | --- | --- |
| Revised section | Source (U.S. Code) | Source (Statutes at Large) |
| 1078(a)<br>1078(b)<br>1078(c) | 37:403(c).<br>37:403(d).<br>37:403(e). | June 7, 1956, ch. 374, § 103(c)(d), (e), 70 Stat. 251. |

Appropriate references are made to dental care throughout the section to reflect the fact that in certain limited situations, dependents are entitled to dental care under 37:403(h)(4), restated as section 1077(d) of this title.

In subsection (b), the word “special” is omitted as surplusage.

### Editorial Notes

### Prior Provisions

A prior section 1078, act Aug. 10, 1956, ch. 1041, 70A Stat. 84, prescribed instructions for marking ballots, prior to repeal by Pub. L. 85–861, § 36B(5), Sept. 2, 1958, 72 Stat. 1570, as superseded by the Federal Voting Assistance Act of 1955 which is classified to subchapter I–D (§ 1973cc et seq.) of chapter 20 of Title 42, The Public Health and Welfare.

### Amendments

1984—Subsecs. (a), (b). Pub. L. 98–557 substituted reference to other administering Secretaries for reference to Secretary of Health and Human Services.

1980—Subsecs. (a), (b). Pub. L. 96–513 substituted “Secretary of Health and Human Services” for “Secretary of Health, Education, and Welfare”.

1966—Subsec. (a). Pub. L. 89–614 substituted “The charge or charges prescribed shall be applied equally to all classes of dependents” for “Charges shall be the same for all dependents”.

### Statutory Notes and Related Subsidiaries

### Effective Date of 1980 Amendment

Amendment by Pub. L. 96–513 effective Dec. 12, 1980, see section 701(b)(3) of Pub. L. 96–513, set out as a note under section 101 of this title.

### Effective Date of 1966 Amendment

For effective date of amendment by Pub. L. 89–614, see section 3 of Pub. L. 89–614, set out as a note under section 1071 of this title.