---
kind: "section"
citation: "38 U.S.C. § 1704"
title: "38"
title_heading: "Veterans’ Benefits"
number: "1704"
heading: "Preventive health services: annual report"
release: "119-102"
date: "2026-07-12"
url: "https://uscodex.org/usc/38/1704"
units:
  - "Part II — General Benefits"
  - "Chapter 17 — Hospital, Nursing Home, Domiciliary, and Medical Care"
  - "Subchapter I — General"
---

# §1704. Preventive health services: annual report


Not later than October 31 each year, the [Secretary](/usc/38/101.md?p=1) shall submit to the Committees on [Veterans](/usc/38/1101.md?p=1)’ Affairs of the Senate and House of Representatives a report on [preventive health services](/usc/38/1701.md?p=9). Each such report shall include the following:

- (1) A description of the programs and activities of the [Department](/usc/38/101.md?p=1) with respect to [preventive health services](/usc/38/1701.md?p=9) during the preceding fiscal year, including a description of the following:
  - (A) The programs conducted by the [Department](/usc/38/101.md?p=1)—
    - (i) to educate [veterans](/usc/38/1101.md?p=1) with respect to health promotion and disease prevention;
    - (ii) to provide [veterans](/usc/38/1101.md?p=1) with preventive health screenings and other clinical services, with such description setting forth the types of resources used by the [Department](/usc/38/101.md?p=1) to conduct such screenings and services and the number of [veterans](/usc/38/1101.md?p=1) reached by such screenings and services; and
    - (iii) to provide [veterans](/usc/38/1101.md?p=1) each immunization on the [recommended adult immunization schedule](/usc/38/1701.md?p=10) at the time such immunization is indicated on that schedule.
  - (B) The means by which the [Secretary](/usc/38/101.md?p=1) addressed the specific [preventive health services](/usc/38/1701.md?p=9) needs of particular groups of [veterans](/usc/38/1101.md?p=1) (including [veterans](/usc/38/1101.md?p=1) with [service-connected](/usc/38/101.md?p=16) [disabilities](/usc/38/1701.md?p=1), elderly [veterans](/usc/38/1101.md?p=1), low-income [veterans](/usc/38/1101.md?p=1), women [veterans](/usc/38/1101.md?p=1), institutionalized [veterans](/usc/38/1101.md?p=1), and [veterans](/usc/38/1101.md?p=1) who are at risk for mental [illness](/usc/38/1171.md?p=b-1)).
  - (C) The manner in which the provision of such services was coordinated with the activities of the Medical and Prosthetic Research Service of the [Department](/usc/38/101.md?p=1) and the National Center for Preventive Health.
  - (D) The manner in which the provision of such services was integrated into training programs of the [Department](/usc/38/101.md?p=1), including initial and continuing medical training of medical students, residents, and [Department](/usc/38/101.md?p=1) staff.
  - (E) The manner in which the [Department](/usc/38/101.md?p=1) participated in cooperative preventive health efforts with other governmental and private entities (including [State](/usc/38/101.md?p=20) and local health promotion offices and not-for-profit organizations).
  - (F) The specific research carried out by the [Department](/usc/38/101.md?p=1) with respect to the long-term relationships among screening activities, treatment, and morbidity and mortality outcomes.
  - (G) The cost effectiveness of such programs and activities, including an explanation of the means by which the costs and benefits (including the quality of life of [veterans](/usc/38/1101.md?p=1) who participate in such programs and activities) of such programs and activities are measured.
- (2) A specific description of research activities on [preventive health services](/usc/38/1701.md?p=9) carried out during that period using employees, funds, equipment, office space, or other support services of the [Department](/usc/38/101.md?p=1), with such description setting forth—
  - (A) the source of funds for those activities;
  - (B) the articles or publications (including the authors of the articles and publications) in which those activities are described;
  - (C) the Federal, [State](/usc/38/101.md?p=20), or local governmental entity or private entity, if any, with which such activities were carried out; and
  - (D) the clinical, research, or staff education projects for which funding applications were submitted (including the source of the funds applied for) and upon which a decision is pending or was denied.
- (3) An accounting of the expenditure of funds during that period by the National Center for Preventive Health under [section 7318 of this title](/usc/38/7318.md).

## Source credit

(Added Pub. L. 102–585, title V, § 512(a), Nov. 4, 1992, 106 Stat. 4957; amended Pub. L. 114–315, title VI, § 602(b), Dec. 16, 2016, 130 Stat. 1569.)

## Notes

### Editorial Notes

### Amendments

2016—Par. (1)(A)(iii). Pub. L. 114–315 added cl. (iii).

### Statutory Notes and Related Subsidiaries

### Construction of 2016 Amendment

Nothing in amendment by Pub. L. 114–315 to be construed to require a veteran to receive an immunization that the veteran does not want to receive, see section 602(d) of Pub. L. 114–315, set out as a note under section 1701 of this title.