(a) For the purposes of this section, “health care” means direct patient-care services or services incident to direct patient-care services.

(b) The Office of Personnel Management may, with respect to any employee described in subsection (c), provide that 1 or more provisions of chapter 74 of title 38 shall apply—

(1) in lieu of any provision of chapter 51 or 61, subchapter V of chapter 55, or any other provision of this chapter; or

(2) notwithstanding any lack of specific authority for a matter with respect to which chapter 51 or 61, subchapter V of chapter 55, or this chapter, relates.

(c) Authority under subsection (b) may be exercised with respect to any employee holding a position—

(1) to which chapter 51 applies, excluding any Senior Executive Service position and any position in the Federal Bureau of Investigation and Drug Enforcement Administration Senior Executive Service; and

(2) which involves health care responsibilities.