# § 1525. Protection of health-care eligibility
**(a)** In the case of a veteran whose entitlement to pension is terminated after January 31, 1985, by reason of income from work or training, the veteran shall retain for a period of three years beginning on the date of such termination all eligibility for care and services under such chapter that the veteran would have had if the veteran’s entitlement to pension had not been terminated. Care and services for which such a veteran retains eligibility include, when applicable, drugs and medicines under section 1712(d) of this title.
**(b)** For purposes of this section, the term “terminated by reason of income from work or training” means terminated as a result of the veteran’s receipt of earnings from activity performed for remuneration or with gain, but only if the veteran’s annual income from sources other than such earnings would, taken alone, not result in the termination of the veteran’s pension.
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**Source Credit**: (Added Pub. L. 98–543, title III, § 301(a)(1), Oct. 24, 1984, 98 Stat. 2746, § 525; amended Pub. L. 99–272, title XIX, § 19011(d)(1), Apr. 7, 1986, 100 Stat. 378; Pub. L. 99–576, title VII, § 703(b)(2), Oct. 28, 1986, 100 Stat. 3303; Pub. L. 100–687, div. B, title XIII, § 1303(c), Nov. 18, 1988, 102 Stat. 4128; renumbered § 1525 and amended Pub. L. 102–83, § 5(a), (c)(1), Aug. 6, 1991, 105 Stat. 406; Pub. L. 102–291, § 2(c), May 20, 1992, 106 Stat. 178; Pub. L. 102–568, title IV, § 403(a), (b)(1), Oct. 29, 1992, 106 Stat. 4337; Pub. L. 104–262, title I, § 101(e)(1), Oct. 9, 1996, 110 Stat. 3180.)
## Editorial Notes
### Amendments
1996—Subsec. (a). , substituted “” for “ and special priority with respect to such care and services under clauses (5) and (6) of section 1712(i)”.
Subsec. (b). , substituted “remuneration” for “renumeration”.
1992—, substituted “Protection” for “Temporary protection” in section catchline.
Subsec. (a). , substituted “after ,” for “during the program period”.
Subsec. (b). , added subsec. (b) and struck out former subsec. (b) which read as follows: “For the purposes of this section:
“(1) The term ‘terminated by reason of income from work or training’ means terminated as a result of the veteran’s receipt of earnings from activity performed for remuneration or gain, but only if the veteran’s annual income from sources other than such earnings would, taken alone, not result in the termination of the veteran’s pension.
“(2) The term ‘program period’ means the period beginning on , and ending on .”
substituted “” for “” in par. (2).
1991—, renumbered as this section.
Subsec. (a). , substituted “1712(h)” for “612(h)” and “1712(i)” for “612(i)”.
1988—Subsec. (b)(2). substituted “1992” for “1989”.
1986—Subsec. (a). struck out “under ” after “entitlement to pension”.
substituted “clauses (5) and (6) of section 612(i)” for “”.
## Statutory Notes and Related Subsidiaries
### Effective Date of 1992 Amendment
Amendment by effective , see , set out as a note under .
### Effective Date of 1986 Amendments
Amendment by effective as if included in , see , set out as a note under .
Amendment by applicable to hospital care, nursing home care, and medical services furnished on or after , see , set out as a note under .
### Ratification of Actions of Secretary of Veterans Affairs During Lapsed Period
Provision of health care and services to a veteran pursuant to this section ratified with respect to period beginning , and ending , see , set out as a note under .