HR 1456 IH
program pursuant to subsection (a), both in terms
of total number and as a percentage of all Medicare-
eligible uniformed services retirees receiving health
care through the health care system of the uni-
formed services.
‘‘(2) The out-of-pocket cost to enrolled uni-
formed services retirees under such health benefits
plans.
‘‘(3) The cost to the Government (including the
Department of Defense, the Department of Com-
merce, the Department of Transportation, and the
Department of Health and Human Services) of pro-
viding care under such health benefits plans as a re-
sult of this section.
‘‘(4) A comparison of the costs determined
under paragraphs (2) and (3) and the costs that
would have otherwise been incurred by the Govern-
ment and enrolled uniformed services retirees under
alternative health care options available to the ad-
ministering Secretaries.
‘‘(5) The effect of this section on the cost, ac-
cess, and utilization rates of other health care op-
tions under the health care system of the uniformed
services.
HR 1456 IH
‘‘(h) TIME FOR OPTION.—The Secretary of Defense
shall begin to offer the health benefits option under sub-
section (a) not later than January 1, 1999.’’.
‘‘(b) CLERICAL AMENDMENT.—The table of sections
at the beginning of such chapter is amended by adding
at the end the following new item:
‘‘1107. Health care coverage through Federal Employees Health Benefits pro-
gram.’’.
SEC. 202. IMPROVED BENEFITS UNDER CHAMPUS AND
TRICARE STANDARD.
(a) COMPARABILITY.—(1) Chapter 55 of title 10,
United States Code, is further amended by inserting after
section 1107 (as added by section 201) the following new
section:
‘‘§ 1108. CHAMPUS and TRICARE Standard benefits:
comparability with service benefit plan
of the Federal Employees Health Benefits
program
‘‘(a) BENEFITS.—The health and dental care benefits
provided under CHAMPUS and TRICARE Standard
shall be comparable to the highest level of benefits pro-
vided under the service benefit plan of the Federal Em-
ployees Health Benefits program.
‘‘(b) PROVIDER
REIMBURSEMENT
RATES.—The
rates prescribed for the reimbursement of health and den-
tal care providers under CHAMPUS and TRICARE
HR 1456 IH
Standard shall be the same as those provided for the high-
est level of benefits under the service benefit plan of the
Federal Employees Health Benefits program.
‘‘(c) EFFECT OF FAILURE TO COMPLY.—If the Sec-
retary of Defense certifies to Congress that the Secretary
is unable to satisfy the requirements of subsections (a)
and (b), section 1107 of this title shall apply to covered
beneficiaries participating in CHAMPUS and TRICARE
Standard so as to permit such covered beneficiaries to en-
roll in a service benefit plan of the Federal Employees
Health Benefits program.’’.
(2) The table of sections at the beginning of such
chapter is amended by inserting after the item relating
to section 1107 (as added by section 201(b)) the following
new item:
‘‘1108. CHAMPUS and TRICARE Standard benefits: comparability with serv-
ice benefit plan of the Federal Employees Health Benefits pro-
gram.’’.
(b) DEFINITIONS.—Section 1072 of title 10, United
States Code, is amended—
(1) in paragraph (4), by striking out ‘‘The term
‘Civilian Health and Medical Program of the Uni-
formed Services’ means’’ and inserting in lieu there-
of ‘‘The terms ‘Civilian Health and Medical Pro-
gram of the Uniformed Services’ and ‘CHAMPUS’
mean’’; and
(2) by adding at the end the following:
HR 1456 IH
‘‘(7) The term ‘TRICARE program’ means the
managed health care program that is established by
the Secretary of Defense under the authority of this
chapter, principally section 1097 of this title, and in-
cludes the competitive selection of contractors to fi-
nancially underwrite the delivery of health care serv-
ices under CHAMPUS.
‘‘(8) The term ‘TRICARE Standard’ means a
CHAMPUS health care benefits option that, subject
to the deductibles and cost-sharing requirements
under CHAMPUS, pays a share of the cost of cov-
ered health care services that are provided by health
care providers outside the Federal Government who
are not part of the CHAMPUS network of health
care providers.
‘‘(9) The term ‘Federal Employee Health Bene-
fits program’ means the Federal Employee Health
Benefits program under chapter 89 of title 5.’’.
Æ