I 

112TH CONGRESS 

1ST SESSION H. R. 1285 

To amend title 10, United States Code, to prohibit certain increases in 

fees for military health care before fiscal year 2014. 

IN THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES 

MARCH 31, 2011 

Mrs. BACHMANN introduced the following bill; which was referred to the 

Committee on Armed Services 

A BILL 

To amend title 10, United States Code, to prohibit certain 

increases in fees for military health care before fiscal 

year 2014. 

1 Be it enacted by the Senate and House of Representa2 tives of the United States of America in Congress assembled, 

3 SECTION 1. SHORT TITLE. 

4 This Act may be cited as the ‘‘Military Health Care 

5 Affordability Act’’. 

6 SEC. 2. FINDINGS AND SENSE OF CONGRESS. 

7 (a) FINDINGS.—Congress finds the following: 

8 (1) America’s warriors offer a life of supreme 

9 devotion in service to their Nation, and through gen10 erations of war-fighting, their dedication has proven 


tjames on DSKG8SOYB1PROD with BILLS
2 

•HR 1285 IH

1 honorable, their sacrifice immeasurable, and their 

2 record of excellence undeniable. 

3 (2) No American goes to war alone—the bur4 den of every Soldier, Sailor, Airman, and Marine is 

5 shared, in part, by all of his or her loved ones. 

6 (b) SENSE OF CONGRESS.—It is the sense of Con7 gress that— 

8 (1) so long as the United States sends men and 

9 women into battle, the United States will be faithful 

10 to care for them upon their return; 

11 (2) as the veteran answered the call of duty, so 

12 too, is the United States duty-bound to answer the 

13 call of the veteran; 

14 (3) the Department of Defense and the Depart15 ment of Veterans Affairs have the tools and inge16 nuity to provide continued excellent health care with17 out increasing TRICARE payments from the vet18 eran before fiscal year 2014; and 

19 (4) in the words of President Abraham Lincoln, 

20 ‘‘let us strive on to finish the work we are in, to bind 

21 up the nation’s wounds, to care for him who shall 

22 have borne the battle and for his widow and his or23 phan, to do all which may achieve and cherish a just 

24 and lasting peace among ourselves and with all na25 tions.’’. 


tjames on DSKG8SOYB1PROD with BILLS
3 

•HR 1285 IH

1 SEC. 3. PROHIBITION ON INCREASES OF CERTAIN HEALTH 

2 COSTS AND RESTRICTIONS ON HEALTH BEN3 EFIT ADJUSTMENTS FOR MEMBERS AND RE4 TIREES OF THE UNIFORMED SERVICES AND 

5 THEIR DEPENDENTS. 

6 (a) PROHIBITION ON INCREASE IN CHARGES UNDER

7 CONTRACTS FOR MEDICAL CARE.—Section 1097(e) of 

8 title 10, United States Code, is amended by striking ‘‘Sep9 tember 30, 2011’’ and inserting ‘‘September 30, 2013’’. 

10 (b) PROHIBITION ON INCREASE IN AMOUNT OF COST

11 SHARING REQUIREMENT UNDER PHARMACY BENEFITS

12 PROGRAM.—Section 1074g(a)(6)(A) of title 10, United 

13 States Code, is amended by adding at the end the fol14 lowing: ‘‘The dollar amount of a cost sharing requirement 

15 (whether established as a percentage or a fixed dollar 

16 amount) may not be increased during the period beginning 

17 on October 1, 2011, and ending on September 30, 2013.’’. 

18 (c) PROHIBITION ON INCREASE IN CHARGES FOR IN19 PATIENT CARE.—Section 1086(b)(3) of title 10, United 

20 States Code, is amended by striking ‘‘September 30, 

21 2011’’ and inserting ‘‘September 30, 2013’’. 

22 (d) PROHIBITION ON INCREASE IN PREMIUMS

23 UNDER TRICARE COVERAGE FOR CERTAIN MEMBERS

24 IN THE SELECTED RESERVE.—Section 1076d(d)(3) of 

25 title 10, United States Code, is amended— 


tjames on DSKG8SOYB1PROD with BILLS
4 

•HR 1285 IH

1 (1) in subparagraph (A), by striking ‘‘The 

2 monthly’’ and inserting ‘‘Except as provided by sub3 paragraph (C), the monthly’’; and 

4 (2) by adding at the end the following new 

5 paragraph: 

6 ‘‘(C) During the period beginning on October 1, 

7 2011, and ending on September 30, 2013, the monthly 

8 amount of the premium for TRICARE Standard coverage 

9 under this section may not be increased to be more than 

10 the amount in effect for the month of September 2011.’’. 

11 (e) PROHIBITION ON INCREASE IN PREMIUMS

12 UNDER TRICARE COVERAGE FOR CERTAIN MEMBERS

13 OF THE RETIRED RESERVE.—Section 1076e(d) of title 

14 10, United States Code, is amended by adding at the end 

15 the following new paragraph: 

16 ‘‘(6) During the period beginning on October 1, 2011, 

17 and ending on September 30, 2013, the monthly amount 

18 of the premium for TRICARE Standard coverage under 

19 this section may not be increased to be more than the 

20 amount in effect for the month of September 2011.’’. 

21 (f) PROHIBITION ON INCREASE IN PREMIUMS UNDER

22 TRICARE COVERAGE FOR CERTAIN DEPENDENTS.— 

23 Section 1110b(c) of title 10, United States Code, is 

24 amended by adding at the end the following new para25 graph: 


tjames on DSKG8SOYB1PROD with BILLS
5 

•HR 1285 IH

1 ‘‘(5) During the period beginning on October 1, 2011, 

2 and ending on September 30, 2013, the monthly amount 

3 of the premium for coverage under the TRICARE pro4 gram provided pursuant to this section may not be in5 creased to be more than the amount in effect for the 

6 month of September 2011.’’. 

Æ 


tjames on DSKG8SOYB1PROD with BILLS