---
kind: "section"
citation: "10 U.S.C. § 1073f"
title: "10"
title_heading: "Armed Forces"
number: "1073f"
heading: "Health care fraud and abuse prevention program"
release: "119-102"
url: "https://uscodex.org/usc/10/1073f"
units:
  - "Subtitle A — General Military Law"
  - "Part II — Personnel"
  - "Chapter 55 — Medical and Dental Care"
---

# §1073f. Health care fraud and abuse prevention program

- (a) **Program Authorized.—**
  - (1) The Secretary of Defense may carry out a program under this section to prevent and remedy [fraud and abuse](#e) in the [health care](/usc/10/1072.md?p=10) programs of the [Department](/usc/10/101.md?p=a-6) of Defense.
  - (2) At the discretion of the Secretary, such program may be administered jointly by the [Inspector General](/usc/10/932.md?p=b-2) of the [Department](/usc/10/101.md?p=a-6) of Defense and the Director of the Defense Health [Agency](/usc/10/4701.md?p=g-1).
  - (3) In carrying out such program, the authorities granted to the Secretary of Defense and the [Inspector General](/usc/10/932.md?p=b-2) of the [Department](/usc/10/101.md?p=a-6) of Defense under section 1128A(m) of the Social Security Act ([42 U.S.C. 1320a–7a(m)](/usc/42/1320a–7a.md?p=m)) shall be available to the Secretary and the [Inspector General](/usc/10/932.md?p=b-2).
- (b) **Civil Monetary Penalties.—**
  - (1) Except as provided in [paragraph (2)](#b-2), the provisions of section 1128A of the Social Security Act ([42 U.S.C. 1320a–7a](/usc/42/1320a–7a.md)) shall apply with respect to any civil monetary penalty imposed in carrying out the program authorized under [subsection (a)](#a).
  - (2) Consistent with [section 1079a of this title](/usc/10/1079a.md), amounts recovered in connection with any such civil monetary penalty imposed—
    - (A) shall be credited to appropriations available as of the time of the collection for expenses of the [health care](/usc/10/1072.md?p=10) program of the [Department](/usc/10/101.md?p=a-6) of Defense affected by the fraud and abuse for which such penalty was imposed; and
    - (B) may be used to support the administration of the program authorized under [subsection (a)](#a), including to support any interagency agreements entered into under [subsection (d)](#d).
- (c) **Interagency Agreements.—** The Secretary of Defense may enter into agreements with the Secretary of Health and Human Services, the Attorney General, or the heads of other Federal [agencies](/usc/10/4701.md?p=g-1), for the effective and efficient implementation of the program authorized under [subsection (a)](#a).
- (d) **Rule of Construction.—** Joint administration of the program authorized under [subsection (a)](#a) may not be construed as limiting the authority of the [Inspector General](/usc/10/932.md?p=b-2) of the [Department](/usc/10/101.md?p=a-6) of Defense under any other provision of law.
- (e) **Fraud and Abuse Defined.—** In this section, the term “fraud and abuse” means any conduct specified in subsection (a) or (b) of section 1128A of the Social Security Act ([42 U.S.C. 1320a–7a](/usc/42/1320a–7a.md)).

## Source credit

(Added Pub. L. 117–81, div. A, title VII, § 713(a), Dec. 27, 2021, 135 Stat. 1784.)