PROVISION OF BOARD CERTIFICATION SPECIAL PAY FOR NONPHYSICIAN HEALTH CARE PROVIDERS

SEC. 618. PROVISION OF BOARD CERTIFICATION SPECIAL PAY FOR NONPHYSICIAN HEALTH CARE PROVIDERS (a) Special Pay Authorized.— Section 302c of title 37, United States Code, is amended by adding at the end the following new subsection: “(d) Nonphysician Health Care Providers.— The Secretary of Defense may authorize the payment of special pay at the rates specified in subsection (b) to an officer who— “(1) is an officer in the Medical Services Corps of the Army or Navy or a biomedical sciences officer in the Air Force; “(2) is a health care provider (other than a psychologist); “(3) has a postbaccalaureate degree; and “(4) is certified by a professional board in the officer’s specialty.”. (b) Implementation of Amendment.— The Secretary of Defense may not implement subsection (d) of section 302c of title 37, United States Code (as added by subsection (a)), unless the Secretary submits to the Committees on Armed Services of the Senate and House of Representatives a report— (1) justifying the need of the military departments for the authority provided in such subsection; and (2) describing the manner in which that authority will be implemented. (c) Clerical Amendments.— (1) The heading of section 302e of title 37, United States Code, is amended to read as follows: “§ 302c. Special pay: psychologists and nonphysician health care providers (2) The table of sections at the beginning of chapter 5 of such title is amended by striking out the item relating to section 302c and inserting in lieu thereof the following: 104 STAT. 1580 “302c. Special pay: psychologists and nonphysician health care providers.”.