10 USC § 1078b - Provision of food to certain members and dependents not receiving inpatient care in military medical treatment facilities

---
identifier: "/us/usc/t10/s1078b"
source: "usc"
legal_status: "official_legal_evidence"
title: "10 USC § 1078b - Provision of food to certain members and dependents not receiving inpatient care in military medical treatment facilities"
title_number: 10
title_name: "ARMED FORCES"
section_number: "1078b"
section_name: "Provision of food to certain members and dependents not receiving inpatient care in military medical treatment facilities"
chapter_number: 55
chapter_name: "MEDICAL AND DENTAL CARE"
part_number: "II"
part_name: "PERSONNEL"
positive_law: true
currency: "119-84"
last_updated: "2026-04-17"
format_version: "1.1.0"
generator: "[email protected]"
source_credit: "(Added Pub. L. 112–81, div. A, title VII, § 704(a), Dec. 31, 2011, 125 Stat. 1472; amended Pub. L. 113–291, div. A, title VII, § 705, Dec. 19, 2014, 128 Stat. 3413.)"
---


# § 1078b. Provision of food to certain members and dependents not receiving inpatient care in military medical treatment facilities

**(a)** **In General.—**

**(1)** Under regulations prescribed by the Secretary of Defense, the Secretary may provide food and beverages to an individual described in paragraph (2) at no cost to the individual.

**(2)** An individual described in this paragraph is the following:

**(A)** A member or former member of the uniformed services or dependent—

**(i)** who is receiving outpatient medical care at a military medical treatment facility; and

**(ii)** whom the Secretary determines is unable to purchase food and beverages while at such facility by virtue of receiving such care.

**(B)** A member or former member of the uniformed services or dependent—

**(i)** who is a family member of an infant receiving inpatient medical care at a military medical treatment facility;

**(ii)** who provides care to the infant while the infant receives such inpatient medical care; and

**(iii)** whom the Secretary determines is unable to purchase food and beverages while at such facility by virtue of providing such care to the infant.

**(C)** A member or former member of the uniformed services or dependent whom the Secretary determines is under similar circumstances as a member, former member, or dependent described in subparagraph (A) or (B).

**(b)** **Regulations.—** The Secretary shall ensure that regulations prescribed under this section are consistent with generally accepted practices in private medical treatment facilities.

---

**Source Credit**: (Added Pub. L. 112–81, div. A, title VII, § 704(a), Dec. 31, 2011, 125 Stat. 1472; amended Pub. L. 113–291, div. A, title VII, § 705, Dec. 19, 2014, 128 Stat. 3413.)

## Editorial Notes

### Amendments

2014—Subsec. (a)(2). , substituted “A member or former member” for “A member” wherever appearing.

Subsec. (a)(2)(C). , substituted “member, former member, or dependent” for “member or dependent”.

## Statutory Notes and Related Subsidiaries

### Effective Date

> “The amendments made by this section [enacting this section] shall take effect on the date that is 90 days after the date of the enactment of this Act [
> 
> ].”

, , , provided that: