(a) General. The health-care and related benefits authorized by chapter 17 of title 38 U.S.C. shall be provided to certain former service persons with administrative discharges under other than honorable conditions for any disability incurred or aggravated during active military, naval, or air service in line of duty.

(b) Discharge categorization. With certain exceptions such benefits shall be furnished for any disability incurred or aggravated during a period of service terminated by a discharge under other than honorable conditions. Specifically, they may not be furnished for any disability incurred or aggravated during a period of service terminated by a bad conduct discharge or when one of the bars listed in §3.12(c) applies.

(c) Eligibility criteria. In making determinations of health-care eligibility the same criteria will be used as is now applicable to determinations of service incurrence and in line of duty when there is no character of discharge bar.

[43 FR 15154, Apr. 11, 1978]