---
kind: "section"
citation: "25 U.S.C. § 1638g"
title: "25"
title_heading: "Indians"
number: "1638g"
heading: "Mobile health stations demonstration program"
release: "119-102"
date: "2026-07-12"
url: "https://uscodex.org/usc/25/1638g"
units:
  - "Chapter 18 — Indian Health Care"
  - "Subchapter III — Health Facilities"
---

# §1638g. Mobile health stations demonstration program

- (a) **Definitions—** In this section:
  - (1) **Eligible tribal consortium—** The term “eligible tribal consortium” means a consortium composed of 2 or more [Service units](/usc/25/1603.md?p=20) between which a mobile health station can be transported by road in up to 8 hours. A [Service unit](/usc/25/1603.md?p=20) operated by the [Service](/usc/25/1603.md?p=18) or by an [Indian tribe](/usc/25/1603.md?p=14) or [tribal organization](/usc/25/1603.md?p=26) shall be equally eligible for participation in such consortium.
  - (2) **Mobile health station—** The term “mobile health station” means a health care unit that—
    - (A) is constructed, maintained, and capable of being transported within a semi-trailer truck or similar vehicle;
    - (B) is equipped for the provision of 1 or more specialty health care [services](/usc/25/1603.md?p=18); and
    - (C) can be equipped to be docked to a stationary health care facility when appropriate.
  - (3) **Specialty health care service—**
    - (A) **In general—** The term “specialty health care [service](/usc/25/1603.md?p=18)” means a health care [service](/usc/25/1603.md?p=18) which requires the [services](/usc/25/1603.md?p=18) of a health care professional with specialized knowledge or experience.
    - (B) **Inclusions—** The term “specialty health care [service](/usc/25/1603.md?p=18)” includes any [service](/usc/25/1603.md?p=18) relating to—
      - (i) dialysis;
      - (ii) surgery;
      - (iii) mammography;
      - (iv) dentistry; or
      - (v) any other specialty health care [service](/usc/25/1603.md?p=18).
- (b) **Establishment—** The [Secretary](/usc/25/1603.md?p=17), acting through the [Service](/usc/25/1603.md?p=18), shall establish a demonstration program under which the [Secretary](/usc/25/1603.md?p=17) shall provide at least 3 mobile health station projects.
- (c) **Petition—** To be eligible to receive a mobile health station under the demonstration program, an eligible tribal consortium shall submit to the [Secretary](/usc/25/1603.md?p=17),[^1] a petition at such time, in such manner, and containing—
  - (1) a description of the [Indian](/usc/25/1603.md?p=13) population to be served;
  - (2) a description of the specialty [service](/usc/25/1603.md?p=18) or [services](/usc/25/1603.md?p=18) for which the mobile health station is requested and the extent to which such [service](/usc/25/1603.md?p=18) or [services](/usc/25/1603.md?p=18) are currently available to the [Indian](/usc/25/1603.md?p=13) population to be served; and
  - (3) such other information as the [Secretary](/usc/25/1603.md?p=17) may require.
- (d) **Use of funds—** The [Secretary](/usc/25/1603.md?p=17) shall use amounts made available to carry out the demonstration program under this section—
  - (1)
    - (A) to establish, purchase, lease, or maintain mobile health stations for the eligible tribal consortia selected for projects; and
    - (B) to provide, through the mobile health station, such specialty health care [services](/usc/25/1603.md?p=18) as the affected eligible tribal consortium determines to be necessary for the [Indian](/usc/25/1603.md?p=13) population served;
  - (2) to employ an existing mobile health station (regardless of whether the mobile health station is owned or rented and operated by the [Service](/usc/25/1603.md?p=18)) to provide specialty health care [services](/usc/25/1603.md?p=18) to an eligible tribal consortium; and
  - (3) to establish, purchase, or maintain docking equipment for a mobile health station, including the establishment or maintenance of such equipment at a modular component health care facility (as defined in [section 1638f(a) of this title](/usc/25/1638f.md?p=a)), if applicable.
- (e) **Reports—** Not later than 1 year after the date on which the demonstration program is established under [subsection (b)](#b) and annually thereafter, the [Secretary](/usc/25/1603.md?p=17), acting through the [Service](/usc/25/1603.md?p=18), shall submit to Congress a report describing—
  - (1) each activity carried out under the demonstration program including an evaluation of the success of the activity; and
  - (2) the potential benefits of increased use of mobile health stations to provide specialty health care [services](/usc/25/1603.md?p=18) for [Indian](/usc/25/1603.md?p=13) communities.
- (f) **Authorization of appropriations—** There are authorized to be appropriated $5,000,000 per year to carry out the demonstration program under this section for the first 5 fiscal years, and such sums as may be needed to carry out the program in subsequent fiscal years.

## Footnotes

[^1]: So in original. The comma probably should not appear.

## Source credit

(Pub. L. 94–437, title III, § 313, as added Pub. L. 111–148, title X, § 10221(a), Mar. 23, 2010, 124 Stat. 935.)

## Notes

### Editorial Notes

### Codification

Section 313 of Pub. L. 94–437 is based on section 147 of title I of S. 1790, One Hundred Eleventh Congress, as reported by the Committee on Indian Affairs of the Senate in Dec. 2009, which was enacted into law by section 10221(a) of Pub. L. 111–148.