42 U.S.C. § 251 — Medical examination and treatment of Federal employees; medical care at remote stations

(a) The Surgeon General may provide medical, surgical, and hospital services and supplies at Service institutions, hospitals, and stations to people entitled to treatment under subchapter I of Chapter 81 of title 5 (the federal workers' compensation law) and its extensions. The Surgeon General may also arrange medical examinations of: (1) federal government employees, for retirement purposes; (2) federal classified-service employees and job applicants, at the request of the Director of the Office of Personnel Management, to promote health and efficiency; (3) seamen, so they can qualify for certificates of service; and (4) employees eligible for benefits under the Longshore and Harbor Workers' Compensation Act, when a deputy commissioner under that Act requests it. (b) The Secretary may provide medical, surgical, and dental treatment, hospitalization, and eye care to federal employees (as defined in section 8901(1) of title 5) and their dependents, at remote Public Health Service medical facilities where this care isn't otherwise available. If these employees or dependents aren't entitled to this care under some other law, they must be charged rates the Secretary sets to cover the reasonable cost of the care. Any money collected this way goes to the Public Health Service's budget for the year it's received.