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[Federal Register Volume 77, Number 31 (Wednesday, February 15, 2012)]
[Notices]
[Pages 8837-8838]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Printing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 2012-3525]

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DEPARTMENT OF DEFENSE

Office of the Secretary

Termination of the Department of Defense Web-Based TRICARE 
Assistance Program Demonstration

AGENCY: Department of Defense, DoD.

ACTION: Notice of demonstration termination.

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SUMMARY: This notice is to advise interested parties of the termination 
of the Military Health System (MHS) demonstration project, under 
authority of Title 10, U.S. Code, Section 1092, entitled Web-Based 
TRICARE Assistance Program (TRIAP). The demonstration project uses 
existing health care support contracts (HCSC) to allow web-based 
behavioral health and related services including non-medical counseling 
and advice services to active duty service members (ADSM), their 
families and members and their dependents enrolled in TRICARE Reserve 
Select, and those eligible for the Transition Assistance Management 
Program (TAMP) who reside in the continental United States.

DATES: The demonstration will terminate on March 31, 2012.

ADDRESSES: TRICARE Management Activity (TMA), Health Plan Operations, 
5111 Leesburg Pike, Suite 810, Falls Church, VA 22041.

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: For questions pertaining to this 
demonstration project, please contact Mr. Richard Hart at (703) 681-
0047.

SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: This demonstration was effective August 1, 
2009, as referenced in the original Federal Register Notice, 74 FR 
36676, July 24, 2009. The demonstration was extended to March 31, 2011, 
as referenced by Federal Register Notice, 75 FR 15693, March 30, 2010 
and again extended to March 31, 2012 as referenced by Federal Register 
Notice, 76 FR 12073, March 4, 2011. The demonstration provides 
capability for short-term, problem solving counseling between eligible 
beneficiaries and licensed counselors utilizing video technology and 
software such as Skype or iChat. TRIAP services are available 24/7 and 
ADSMs, their spouses of any age, and other family members 18 years of 
age or older who reside in the United States are eligible to 
participate. Enrollees in TRICARE Reserve Select and the Transitional 
Assistance Management Program may also use the program. TRIAP is based 
on commercial employee assistance models and provides counseling in a 
virtual face-to-face environment. There is no diagnosis made, there are 
no limits to usage, and no notification about those seeking counseling 
are made to their primary care managers or others, unless required by 
the counselor's licensure (e.g., spouse abuse). Participant 
confidentiality is protected, as no medical record entry is made.
    Monthly measures of Web-based behavioral health care access were 
collected and analyzed from each TRICARE region with the intent to 
inform Department leaders whether this type of program is a valid 
mechanism to improve access. Only 5109 calls were recorded in the two-
year period from

[[Page 8838]]

August 2009 through August 2011, with the majority (89%) occurring in 
the West region. Of these calls, 1888 calls were listed as either 
``initial'' or ``intake'' with 3098 listed as ``follow-up,'' and 123 
calls were not coded for contact type. Thirty-five percent (35%) of 
callers reported themselves as the sponsor, 62% reported as a 
dependent, and 3% did not report relationship. These results indicate 
the demonstration has not been utilized to the extent anticipated. At a 
cost of approximately $3 million annually across all three TRICARE 
regions, the demonstration's goal of improving beneficiary access to 
behavioral health care by incorporating Web-based video technology has 
not been realized and thus not viable from a financial perspective.
    The termination of TRIAP in March 2012 will not cause a void in the 
availability of non-medical counseling services for Service members and 
their families. Military OneSource (MOS) offers a robust and popular 
Employee Assistance Program model of non-medical counseling service to 
provide Service members and their families in both the continental 
United States and overseas with an avenue for private, non-reportable 
discussion of personal life issues. Issues such as family difficulties 
and pressures, crisis intervention, anxiety, self-esteem, loneliness, 
and critical life decisions can be discussed on a one-to-one basis in 
the context of a confidential relationship with a professional 
counselor. Telephonic or face-to-face counseling is available 24/7 by 
contacting the MOS 1-800 call center who maintains a National Network 
of trained, experienced, and credentialed counselors. In addition, MOS 
is currently pursuing integration of video technology and software 
capability such as Skype or iChat to their non-medical counseling 
service by early 2012. By terminating the TRIAP Demonstration and 
integrating video technology into the MOS non-medical counseling 
service, the Department is responsibly managing costs, streamlining and 
eliminating duplication of services, and making it easier for Service 
members and their families to find assistance through one convenient 
toll free number.
    The TRICARE Management Activity will work with MOS to develop a 
communication plan and ensure a seamless transition of Web-based video 
counseling from TRICARE to MOS.

    Dated: February 9, 2012.
Patricia L. Toppings,
OSD Federal Register Liaison Officer, Department of Defense.
[FR Doc. 2012-3525 Filed 2-14-12; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 5001-06-P
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