---
kind: "section"
citation: "42 U.S.C. § 1396f"
title: "42"
title_heading: "The Public Health and Welfare"
number: "1396f"
heading: "Observance of religious beliefs"
release: "119-102"
date: "2026-07-12"
url: "https://uscodex.org/usc/42/1396f"
units:
  - "Chapter 7 — Social Security"
  - "Subchapter XIX — Grants to States for Medical Assistance Programs"
---

# §1396f. Observance of religious beliefs


Nothing in this subchapter shall be construed to require any [State](/usc/42/619.md?p=5) which has a plan approved under this subchapter to compel any [person](/usc/42/1301.md?p=a-3) to undergo any medical screening, examination, diagnosis, or [treatment](/usc/42/11851.md?p=11) or to accept any other health care or services provided under such plan for any purpose (other than for the purpose of discovering and preventing the spread of infection or contagious disease or for the purpose of protecting environmental health), if such [person](/usc/42/1301.md?p=a-3) objects (or, in case such [person](/usc/42/1301.md?p=a-3) is a [child](/usc/42/1382c.md?p=c), his parent or guardian objects) thereto on religious grounds.


## Source credit

(Aug. 14, 1935, ch. 531, title XIX, § 1907, as added Pub. L. 90–248, title II, § 232, Jan. 2, 1968, 81 Stat. 905.)