Title 32
SECTION 537.2
537.2 Scope of non-maritime affirmative claims statutes.
§ 537.2 Scope of non-maritime affirmative claims statutes.(a) Recovery for government property loss or damage. The FCCA, originally passed in 1966, gives federal agencies the authority to collect a claim of the United States government for money or property arising out of the activities of the agency in question. However, the broad authority is limited for purposes of this regulation to claims for loss of or damage to property, as the FMCRA takes precedence for medical care recoveries.
(b) Recovery for medical expenses and lost military pay. (1) The FMCRA, passed in 1962, authorizes recovery from a third person of the expenses for medical care the United States furnishes to a person who is injured or suffers a disease when such care is authorized or required by law. Likewise the United States is authorized to recover the cost of pay for members of the uniformed services unable to perform duties. Recovery normally arises out of a third-party tort under local law as to which the United States has an independent cause of action.
(2) Under 10 U.S.C. 1095 the United States is also deemed a third-party beneficiary or subrogee under an alternative system of computations such as workers' compensation; hospital lien laws; contract rights under the terms of insurance policies including medical payment coverage; uninsured, underinsured and no-fault coverage; and no-fault laws.
(c) Recovery of health insurance. 10 U.S.C. 1095 permits recovery of health insurance for medical care furnished at military medical treatment facilities (MTFs), including supplemental policies. This third-party collection program has been delegated to the Surgeon General of the Army by the Judge Advocate General (TJAG).
(d) Worldwide applicability. The foregoing authorities are worldwide in application, except for intergovernmental claims waived by treaty, for example, North Atlantic Treaty Association Status of Forces Agreement (NATO SOFA), Article VIII, paragraph 1.