TEMPORARY AUTHORITY FOR WAIVER OF COLLECTION OF PAYMENTS DUE FOR CHAMPUS BENEFITS RECEIVED BY DISABLED PERSONS UNAWARE OF LOSS OF CHAMPUS ELIGIBILITY.

SEC. 716. TEMPORARY AUTHORITY FOR WAIVER OF COLLECTION OF PAYMENTS DUE FOR CHAMPUS BENEFITS RECEIVED BY DISABLED PERSONS UNAWARE OF LOSS OF CHAMPUS ELIGIBILITY.(a) Authority To Waive Debt.—(1) The Secretary of Defense, in consultation with the other administering Secretaries, may waive (in whole or in part) the collection of payments otherwise due from a person described in subsection (b) for health benefits received by such person under section 1086 of title 10, United States Code, after the termination of that person’s eligibility for such benefits. (2) If the Secretary of Defense waives collection of payments from a person under paragraph (1), the Secretary may also authorize a continuation of benefits for such person under such section 1086 for a period ending not later than the end of the period specified in subsection (c) of this section.(b) Eligible Persons.—A person is eligible for relief under subsection (a)(1) if—(1) the person is described in paragraph (1) of subsection (d) of section 1086 of title 10, United States Code;(2) except for such paragraph, the person would have been eligible for the health benefits under such section; and(3) at the time of the receipt of such benefits—(A) the person satisfied the criteria specified in paragraph (2)(B) of such subsection (d); and(B) the person was unaware of the loss of eligibility to receive the health benefits.(c) Period of Applicability.—The authority provided under this section to waive collection of payments and to continue benefits shall apply, under terms and conditions prescribed by the Secretary of Defense, to health benefits provided under section 1086 of title 10, United States Code, during the period beginning on July 1, 1999, and ending at the end of December 31, 2004.(d) Administering Secretaries.—In this subsection, the term “administering Secretaries” has the meaning given such term in section 1072(3) of title 10, United States Code.