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[Congressional Bills 106th Congress]
[From the U.S. Government Publishing Office]
[S. 350 Introduced in Senate (IS)]

106th CONGRESS
  1st Session
                                 S. 350

   To amend title 10, United States Code, to improve the health care 
benefits under the TRICARE program and otherwise improve that program, 
                        and for other purposes.

_______________________________________________________________________

                   IN THE SENATE OF THE UNITED STATES

                            February 3, 1999

Mrs. Hutchison (for herself, Mr. Allard, and Mr. Hagel) introduced the 
 following bill; which was read twice and referred to the Committee on 
                             Armed Services

_______________________________________________________________________

                                 A BILL

 
   To amend title 10, United States Code, to improve the health care 
benefits under the TRICARE program and otherwise improve that program, 
                        and for other purposes.

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

SECTION 1. SHORT TITLE.

    This Act may be cited as the ``Military Health Care Improvement Act 
of 1999''.

SEC. 2. IMPROVEMENT OF TRICARE PROGRAM.

    (a) Improvement of TRICARE Program.--Chapter 55 of title 10, United 
States Code, is amended by inserting after section 1097a the following 
new section:
``Sec. 1097b. TRICARE: comparability of benefits with benefits under 
              Federal Employees Health Benefits program; other 
              requirements
    ``(a) Comparability of Benefits.--(1) The Secretary of Defense 
shall ensure that the health care coverage and dental care coverage 
available through the TRICARE program is substantially similar to the 
health care coverage and dental care coverage available under the 
health benefits plan offered under the Federal Employees Health 
Benefits program established under chapter 89 of title 5 that has the 
most subscribers as of January 1, 2000.
    ``(2) In determining the similarity of health care coverage and 
dental care coverage offered under the TRICARE program and such covered 
offered under the Federal Employee Health Benefits program for purposes 
of paragraph (1), the Secretary of Defense shall take into account the 
benefits available under such programs and the premiums, co-payments, 
deductibles, and other out-of-pocket costs associated with receipt of 
such benefits.
    ``(b) Portability of Benefits.--The Secretary of Defense shall 
provide that any covered beneficiary enrolled in the TRICARE program 
may receive benefits under that program at facilities that provide 
benefits under that program throughout the various regions of that 
program.
    ``(c) Patient Management.--(1) The Secretary of Defense shall, to 
the maximum extent practicable, minimize the authorization or 
certification requirements imposed upon covered beneficiaries under the 
TRICARE program as a condition of access to benefits under that 
program.
    ``(2) The Secretary of Defense shall utilize practices for 
processing claims under the TRICARE program that are similar to the 
best commercial practices for processing claims for health care 
services in a simplified and expedited manner. To the maximum extent 
practicable, such practices shall include electronic processing of 
claims.
    ``(d) Reimbursement of Health Care Providers.--The Secretary of 
Defense may increase the level of reimbursement provided to health care 
providers under the TRICARE program beyond levels otherwise authorized 
for such reimbursement where such increase is necessary in order to 
ensure the availability of an adequate number of qualified health care 
providers under the TRICARE program.
    ``(e) Consultation.--The Secretary of Defense shall carry out any 
actions under this section after consultation with the other 
administering Secretaries.
    ``(f) Deadline for Certain Actions.--The Secretary of Defense shall 
meet the requirements set forth in subsections (a), (b), and (c) not 
later than one year after the date of the enactment of the Military 
Health Care Improvement Act of 1999.''.
    (b) Clerical Amendment.--The table of sections at the beginning of 
chapter 55 of such title is amended by inserting after the item 
relating to section 1097a the following new item:

``1097b. TRICARE: comparability of benefits with benefits under Federal 
                            Employees Health Benefits program; other 
                            requirements.''.
                                 <all>
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