---
kind: "section"
citation: "38 U.S.C. § 1813"
title: "38"
title_heading: "Veterans’ Benefits"
number: "1813"
heading: "Health care"
release: "119-102"
date: "2026-07-12"
url: "https://uscodex.org/usc/38/1813"
units:
  - "Part II — General Benefits"
  - "Chapter 18 — Benefits for Children of Vietnam Veterans and Certain Other Veterans"
  - "Subchapter II — Children of Women Vietnam Veterans Born with Certain Birth Defects"
---

# §1813. Health care

- (a) **Needed Care.—** The [Secretary](/usc/38/101.md?p=1) shall provide an [eligible child](/usc/38/1811.md?p=1) such health care as the [Secretary](/usc/38/101.md?p=1) determines is needed by the [child](/usc/38/1831.md?p=1) for that [child](/usc/38/1831.md?p=1)’s [covered birth defects](/usc/38/1811.md?p=2) or any [disability](/usc/38/1701.md?p=1) that is associated with those birth defects.
- (b) **Authority for Care To Be Provided Directly or by Contract.—** The [Secretary](/usc/38/101.md?p=1) may provide health care under this section directly or by contract or other arrangement with a health care provider.
- (c) **Definitions.—** For purposes of this section, the definitions in [section 1803(c) of this title](/usc/38/1803.md?p=c) shall apply with respect to the provision of health care under this section, except that for such purposes—
  - (1) the reference to “specialized spina bifida clinic” in paragraph (2) of that section shall be treated as a reference to a specialized clinic treating the birth defect concerned under this section; and
  - (2) the reference to “vocational training under [section 1804 of this title](/usc/38/1804.md)” in [paragraph (8)](/usc/38/1804.md) of that section shall be treated as a reference to vocational training under [section 1814 of this title](/usc/38/1814.md).

## Source credit

(Added Pub. L. 106–419, title IV, § 401(a), Nov. 1, 2000, 114 Stat. 1857.)

## Notes

### Editorial Notes

### Prior Provisions

A prior section 1813 was renumbered section 3713 of this title.

Another prior section 1813, Pub. L. 85–857, Sept. 2, 1958, 72 Stat. 1211, automatically guaranteed loans made to a veteran if made for the purpose of purchasing business property, prior to repeal by Pub. L. 93–569, § 7(a), Dec. 31, 1974, 88 Stat. 1866.