10 U.S.C. § 1094: Licensure requirement for health-care professionals

A person under the jurisdiction of the Secretary of a military department may not provide health care independently as a health-care professional under this chapter unless the person has a current license to provide such care. In the case of a physician, the physician may not provide health care as a physician under this chapter unless the current license is an unrestricted license that is not subject to limitation on the scope of practice ordinarily granted to other physicians for a similar specialty by the jurisdiction that granted the license. The Secretary of Defense may waive paragraph (1) with respect to any person in unusual circumstances. The Secretary shall prescribe by regulation the circumstances under which such a waiver may be granted. The commanding officer of each health care facility of the Department of Defense shall ensure that each person who provides health care independently as a health-care professional at the facility meets the requirement of subsection (a). A person (other than a person subject to chapter 47 of this title) who provides health care in violation of subsection (a) is subject to a civil money penalty of not more than $5,000. a reference to the Secretary in that section is deemed a reference to the Secretary of Defense; and a reference to a claimant in subsection (e) of that section is deemed a reference to the person described in paragraph (1). Notwithstanding any law regarding the licensure of health care providers, a health-care professional described in paragraph (2), (3), or (4) may practice the health profession or professions of the health-care professional at any location in any State, the District of Columbia, or a Commonwealth, territory, or possession of the United States, regardless of where such health-care professional or the patient are located, so long as the practice is within the scope of the authorized Federal duties. has a current license to practice medicine, osteopathic medicine, dentistry, or another health profession; and is performing authorized duties for the Department of Defense. has a current license to practice medicine, osteopathic medicine, dentistry, or another health profession; and is performing training or duty under section 502(f) of title 32 in response to an actual or potential disaster. has a current license to practice as a mental health care professional; is providing tele-mental health care services to members of the armed forces or such dependents; and is providing such services under terms and conditions specified by the Secretary (which shall establish the scope of authorized Federal duties for purposes of paragraph (1)). means a grant of permission by an official agency of a State, the District of Columbia, or a Commonwealth, territory, or possession of the United States to provide health care independently as a health-care professional, or the official agency of the government of a partner country; and includes, in the case of such care furnished in a foreign country by any person who is not a national of the United States, a grant of permission by an official agency of that foreign country for that person to provide health care independently as a health-care professional. The term “health-care professional” means a physician, dentist, clinical psychologist, marriage and family therapist certified as such by a certification recognized by the Secretary of Defense, or nurse and any other person providing direct patient care as may be designated by the Secretary of Defense in regulations. Australia. Canada. New Zealand. The United Kingdom. Any other country designated as a partner country by the Secretary of Defense for the purposes of this section. Not later than 180 days after the date of the enactment of this Act [ Dec. 18, 2025 ], the Secretary of Defense shall review all processes and forms relating to health care provider credentialing and privileging of covered applicants to ensure that each individual who provides health care independently as a health-care professional at a health care facility of the Department of Defense meets the requirement of section 1094(a) of title 10 , United States Code. In carrying out section 1094(b) of title 10 , United States Code, the Secretary shall establish a centralized credential system that allows the commanding officer of a health care facility of the Department to verify the licensure of a health care professional, regardless of the location of the facility or the Armed Force in which the health care professional serves. The Secretary shall ensure that not less than 90 percent of such verifications are completed within seven days of the date on which the commanding officer requests such verification if the request does not relate to a health-care professional with an adverse record. The findings of the review required under subsection (a). A detailed plan outlining steps the Secretary has taken or will take pursuant to such review, including a timeline for completion of such steps. is required to go through a credentialing and privileging process; and at a health care facility of the Department of Defense; or through the civilian network of the TRICARE program (as defined in section 1072 of title 10 , United States Code).”