---
kind: "section"
citation: "10 U.S.C. § 1078b"
title: "10"
title_heading: "Armed Forces"
number: "1078b"
heading: "Provision of food to certain members and dependents not receiving inpatient care in military medical treatment facilities"
release: "119-102"
date: "2026-07-12"
url: "https://uscodex.org/usc/10/1078b"
units:
  - "Subtitle A — General Military Law"
  - "Part II — Personnel"
  - "Chapter 55 — Medical and Dental Care"
---

# §1078b. Provision of food to certain members and dependents not receiving inpatient care in military medical treatment facilities

- (a) **In General.—**
  - (1) Under regulations prescribed by the [Secretary](/usc/10/4951.md?p=3) of Defense, the [Secretary](/usc/10/4951.md?p=3) may provide food and beverages to an individual described in [paragraph (2)](#a-2) at no cost to the individual.
  - (2) An individual described in this paragraph is the following:
    - (A) A member or former member of the [uniformed services](/usc/10/1072.md?p=1) or [dependent](/usc/10/1072.md?p=2)—
      - (i) who is receiving outpatient medical care at a [military](/usc/10/801.md?p=8) medical treatment [facility](/usc/10/2700.md?p=2); and
      - (ii) whom the [Secretary](/usc/10/4951.md?p=3) determines is unable to purchase food and beverages while at such [facility](/usc/10/2700.md?p=2) by virtue of receiving such care.
    - (B) A member or former member of the [uniformed services](/usc/10/1072.md?p=1) or [dependent](/usc/10/1072.md?p=2)—
      - (i) who is a family member of an infant receiving inpatient medical care at a [military](/usc/10/801.md?p=8) medical treatment [facility](/usc/10/2700.md?p=2);
      - (ii) who provides care to the infant while the infant receives such inpatient medical care; and
      - (iii) whom the [Secretary](/usc/10/4951.md?p=3) determines is unable to purchase food and beverages while at such [facility](/usc/10/2700.md?p=2) by virtue of providing such care to the infant.
    - (C) A member or former member of the [uniformed services](/usc/10/1072.md?p=1) or [dependent](/usc/10/1072.md?p=2) whom the [Secretary](/usc/10/4951.md?p=3) determines is under similar circumstances as a member, former member, or [dependent](/usc/10/1072.md?p=2) described in subparagraph [(A)](#a-2-A) or [(B)](#a-2-B).
- (b) **Regulations.—** The [Secretary](/usc/10/4951.md?p=3) shall ensure that regulations prescribed under this section are consistent with generally accepted practices in private medical treatment [facilities](/usc/10/2700.md?p=2).

## Source credit

(Added Pub. L. 112–81, div. A, title VII, § 704(a), Dec. 31, 2011, 125 Stat. 1472; amended Pub. L. 113–291, div. A, title VII, § 705, Dec. 19, 2014, 128 Stat. 3413.)

## Notes

### Editorial Notes

### Amendments

2014—Subsec. (a)(2). Pub. L. 113–291, § 705(1), substituted “A member or former member” for “A member” wherever appearing.

Subsec. (a)(2)(C). Pub. L. 113–291, § 705(2), substituted “member, former member, or dependent” for “member or dependent”.

### Statutory Notes and Related Subsidiaries

### Effective Date

Pub. L. 112–81, div. A, title VII, § 704(c), Dec. 31, 2011, 125 Stat. 1473, provided that: “The amendments made by this section [enacting this section] shall take effect on the date that is 90 days after the date of the enactment of this Act [Dec. 31, 2011].”