Pub. L. 93-82, tit. II, sec. 206

Sec. 206. Section 4114 of title 38, United States Code, is amended as follows: (1) by striking out the words “ninety days” in the last sentence of paragraph (3) (A) of subsection (a) and inserting in lieu thereof “one year”; (2) by inserting “(1)” immediately after “(b)” at the beginning of subsection (b) of such section and by adding at the end of such subsection the following new paragraphs: “(2) For the purposes of this title, the term ‘intern’ shall include an internship or the equivalency thereof, as determined in accordance with regulations which the Administrator shall prescribe. “(3) In order to carry out more efficiently the provisions of paragraph (1) of this subsection, the Administrator may contract with one or more hospitals, medical schools, or medical installations having hospital facilities and participating with the Veterans’ Administration in the training of interns or residents to provide for the central administration of stipend payments, provision of fringe benefits, and maintenance of records for such interns and residents by the designation of one such institution to serve as a central administrative agency for this purpose. The Administrator may pay to such designated agency, without regard to any other law or regulation governing the expenditure of Government moneys either in advance or in arrears, an amount to cover the cost for the period such intern or resident serves in a Veterans-Administration hospital of (A) stipends fixed by the Administrator pursuant to paragraph (1) of this subsection, (B) hospitalization, medical care, and life insurance, and any other employee benefits as are agreed upon by the participating institutions for the period that such intern or resident serves in a Veterans’ Administration hospital, (C) tax on employers pursuant to chapter 21 of the Internal Revenue Code of 1954, where applicable, and in addition. (D) an amount to cover a pro rata share of the cost of expense of such central administrative agency. Any amounts paid by the Administrator to such central administrative agency to cover the cost of hospitalization, medical care, or life insurance, or other employee benefits shall be in lieu of any benefits of like nature to which such intern or resident may be entitled tinder the provisions of title 5, and the acceptance of stipends and employee benefits from the designated central administrative agency shall constitute a waiver by the recipient of any claim he might have to any payment of stipends or employee benefits to which he may be entitled under this title or title 5. Notwithstanding the foregoing, any period of service of any such intern or resident in a Veterans’ Administration hospital shall be deemed creditable service for the purposes of section 8332 of title 5. The agreement may further provide that the designated central administrative agency shall make all appropriate deductions from the stipend of each intern and resident for local. State, and Federal taxes, maintain all records 87 Stat. 193pertinent thereto and make proper deposits thereof, and shall maintain all records pertinent to the leave accrued by such intern and resident for the period during which he serves in a participating hospital, including a Veterans’ Administration hospital. Such leave may be pooled, and the intern or resident may be afforded leave by the hospital in which he is serving at the time the leave is to be used to the extent of his total accumulated leave, whether or not earned at the hospital in which he is serving at the time the leave is to be afforded.”; and (3) by adding at the end thereof the following new subsection: “(e) The program of training prescribed by the Administrator in order to qualify a person for the position of full-time physicians assistant or dentist’s assistant shall he considered a full-time institutional program for purposes of chapter 34 of this title. The Administrator may consider training for such a position to be on a less than fulltime basis for purposes of such chapter when the combined classroom (and other formal instruction) portion of the program and the on-the-job training portion of the program total less than 30 hours per week.”.