(a) General. In accordance with this section, VA will provide hospital care and medical services to Camp Lejeune veterans. Camp Lejeune veterans will be enrolled pursuant to §17.36(b)(6).

(b) Definitions. For the purposes of this section:

Camp Lejeune means any area within the borders of the U.S. Marine Corps Base Camp Lejeune or Marine Corps Air Station New River, North Carolina.

Camp Lejeune veteran means any veteran who served at Camp Lejeune on active duty, as defined in 38 U.S.C. 101(21), in the Armed Forces for at least 30 (consecutive or nonconsecutive) days during the period beginning on August 1, 1953, and ending on December 31, 1987. A veteran served at Camp Lejeune if he or she was stationed at Camp Lejeune, or traveled to Camp Lejeune as part of his or her professional duties.

Covered illness or condition means any of the following illnesses and conditions:

(i) Esophageal cancer;

(ii) Lung cancer;

(iii) Breast cancer;

(iv) Bladder cancer;

(v) Kidney cancer;

(vi) Leukemia;

(vii) Multiple myeloma;

(viii) Myelodysplastic syndromes;

(ix) Renal toxicity;

(x) Hepatic steatosis;

(xi) Female infertility;

(xii) Miscarriage;

(xiii) Scleroderma;

(xiv) Neurobehavioral effects; and

(xv) Non-Hodgkin's lymphoma.

(c) Limitations. For a Camp Lejeune veteran, VA will assume that a covered illness or condition is attributable to the veteran's active duty service at Camp Lejeune unless it is clinically determined, under VA clinical practice guidelines, that such an illness or condition resulted from a cause other than such service.

(d) Copayments—

(1) Exemption.

(i) Camp Lejeune veterans who served at Camp Lejeune between January 1, 1957, and December 31, 1987, are not subject to copayment requirements for hospital care and medical services provided for a covered illness or condition on or after August 6, 2012.

(ii) Camp Lejeune veterans who served at Camp Lejeune between August 1, 1953, and December 31, 1956, are not subject to copayment requirements for hospital care and medical services provided for a covered illness or condition on or after December 16, 2014.

(2) Retroactive exemption. VA will reimburse Camp Lejeune veterans for any copayments paid to VA for hospital care and medical services provided for a covered illness or condition if either of the following is true:

(i) For Camp Lejeune veterans who served at Camp Lejeune between January 1, 1957, and December 31, 1987, VA provided the hospital care or medical services to the Camp Lejeune veteran on or after August 6, 2012, and the veteran requested Camp Lejeune veteran status no later than September 24, 2016; or

(ii) For Camp Lejeune veterans who served at Camp Lejeune between August 1, 1953, and December 31, 1956, VA provided the hospital care or medical services to the Camp Lejeune veteran on or after December 16, 2014, and the veteran requested Camp Lejeune veteran status no later than July 18, 2018.

(The Office of Management and Budget has approved the information collection requirement in this section under control number 2900-0091.)

(Authority: 38 U.S.C. 1710)

[81 FR 46605, July 18, 2016]