§ 251. Medical examination and treatment of Federal employees; medical care at remote stations
(a)
The Surgeon General is authorized to provide at institutions, hospitals, and station of the Service medical, surgical, and hospital services and supplies for persons entitled to treatment under subchapter
I of Chapter
81 of title
5 and extensions thereof. The Surgeon General may also provide for making medical examinations of—
(b)
The Secretary is authorized to provide medical, surgical, and dental treatment and hospitalization and optometric care for Federal employees (as defined in section
8901
(1) of title
5) and their dependents at remote medical facilities of the Public Health Service where such care and treatment are not otherwise available. Such employees and their dependents who are not entitled to this care and treatment under any other provision of law shall be charged for it at rates established by the Secretary to reflect the reasonable cost of providing the care and treatment. Any payments pursuant to the preceding sentence shall be credited to the applicable appropriation to the Public Health Service for the year in which such payments are received.