**GAO-08-122**                      Published: Oct 12, 2007. Publicly Released: Oct 12, 2007.                  

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## Highlights

The Department of Defense (DOD) operates one of the largest and most complex health systems in the nation and has a dual health care mission--readiness and benefits. The readiness mission provides medical services and support to the armed forces during military operations. The benefits mission provides health care to over 9 million eligible beneficiaries, including active duty personnel, retirees, and dependents worldwide. Past Government Accountability Office (GAO) and other reports have recommended changes to the military health system (MHS) structure. GAO was asked to (1) describe the options for structuring a unified medical command recommended in recent studies by DOD and other organizations and (2) assess the extent to which DOD has identified the potential impact these options would have on the current MHS. GAO analyzed studies and reports prepared by DOD's Joint/Unified Medical Command Working Group, the Defense Business Board, and the Center for Naval Analyses, and interviewed department officials.

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## Topics

National Defense

Cost analysisFederal agency reorganizationHealth care servicesInteragency relationsManagement reengineeringMedical economic analysisMilitary health servicesNational defense operationsPerformance measuresProgram evaluationRisk assessmentManaged health care