42 U.S.C. § 213a — Rights, benefits, privileges, and immunities for commissioned officers or beneficiaries; exercise of authority by Secretary or designee

(a) Commissioned officers of the Public Health Service — and their surviving beneficiaries — get the same rights, benefits, privileges, and immunities that Army commissioned officers (or their beneficiaries) get, under a list of parts of Title 10: (1) Transportation and travel allowances for escorting a dependent's remains. (2) Retirement or separation for physical disability — except that three specific sections (1201, 1202, 1203) don't apply to Public Health Service officers ordered to active duty for training for more than 30 days. (3) Rules about retired grade, except four listed sections. (4) Rules for computing retired pay, except one specific formula. (5) The Retired Serviceman's Family Protection Plan and Survivor Benefit Plan. (6) Death benefits. (7) Final settlement of accounts for deceased members. (8) Military claims rules — but only when Public Health Service officers already qualify for military benefits under section 213 of this title. (9) Accepting fellowships, scholarships, or grants. (10) Reimbursement for vehicle costs when moving to a new permanent duty station. (11) Deposits of savings. (12) Correcting military records and handling related claims. (13) Reviewing a discharge or dismissal. (14) Reviewing a retirement or separation without pay for physical disability. (15) Cash awards for suggestions, inventions, or scientific achievements. (16) Reimbursement for adoption expenses. (17) Transitional pay and commissary/exchange benefits for the family of an officer separated for abusing a dependent. (18) Protection from retaliation for making protected communications. (19) Retired pay for non-regular (reserve-type) service. (20) Rules on compensation a reservist on active duty may accept from other people. (21) Rules on separating reservists who are absent without authority or sentenced to prison. (b)(1) Wherever Title 10 gives this authority to "military departments," "the Secretary concerned," or "the Secretary of Defense," that same authority — for Public Health Service officers — belongs to the Secretary of Health and Human Services, or to whoever that Secretary designates. (b)(2) For item 18 above (protected communications), the "Inspector General" named in that Title 10 section means the Inspector General of the Department of Health and Human Services, not the Defense Department's. (b)(3) For item 19 above (non-regular retired pay), wherever Title 10 says "military department," "Secretary concerned," or "Armed forces," that means the Department of Health and Human Services, the HHS Secretary, and the Commissioned Corps.