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(1) ONGOING REVIEW.—The Comptroller General
shall, on an ongoing basis, review—
(A) the processes, procedures, and analysis
used by the Department of Defense to determine
the adequacy of the number of health care and
mental health care providers—
(i) that currently accept TRICARE
Standard or TRICARE Extra beneficiaries
as patients under TRICARE Standard in
each TRICARE area as of the date of com-
pletion of the review; and
(ii) that would accept TRICARE
Standard or TRICARE Extra beneficiaries
as new patients under TRICARE Standard
or TRICARE Extra, as applicable, within
a reasonable time after the date of comple-
tion of the review; and
(B) the actions taken by the Department of
Defense to ensure ready access of TRICARE
Standard beneficiaries to health care and mental
health care under TRICARE Standard in each
TRICARE area, including any pending or re-
solved requests for waiver of payment limits in
order to improve access to health care or mental
health care in a specific geographic area.
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(2) REPORTS.—The Comptroller General shall
submit to the Committees on Armed Services of the
Senate and the House of Representatives on a bi-an-
nual basis a report on the results of the review under
paragraph (1). Each report shall include the fol-
lowing:
(A) An analysis of the adequacy of the sur-
veys under subsection (a).
(B) An identification of any impediments
to achieving adequacy of availability of health
care and mental health care under TRICARE
Standard or TRICARE Extra.
(C) An assessment of the adequacy of De-
partment of Defense education programs to in-
form health care and mental health care pro-
viders 
about 
TRICARE 
Standard 
and
TRICARE Extra.
(D) An assessment of the adequacy of De-
partment of Defense initiatives to encourage
health care and mental health care providers to
accept patients under TRICARE Standard and
TRICARE Extra.
(E) An assessment of the adequacy of infor-
mation available to TRICARE Standard bene-
ficiaries to facilitate access by such beneficiaries
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to health care and mental health care under
TRICARE Standard and TRICARE Extra.
(F) An assessment of any need for adjust-
ment of health care and mental health care pro-
vider payment rates to attract participation in
TRICARE Standard by appropriate numbers of
health care and mental health care providers.
(d) EFFECTIVE DATE.—This section shall take effect
on October 1, 2007.
(e) REPEAL
OF SUPERSEDED REQUIREMENTS
AND
AUTHORITY.—Section 723 of the National Defense Author-
ization Act for Fiscal Year 2004 (10 U.S.C. 1073 note) is
repealed, effective as of October 1, 2007.
(f) DEFINITIONS.—In this section:
(1) The term ‘‘TRICARE Extra’’ means the op-
tion of the TRICARE program under which
TRICARE Standard beneficiaries may obtain dis-
counts on cost-sharing as a result of using TRICARE
network providers.
(2) The term ‘‘TRICARE Prime’’ means the
managed care option of the TRICARE program.
(3) The term ‘‘TRICARE Prime service area’’
means a geographic are designated by the Department
of Defense in which managed care support contractors
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develop a managed care network under TRICARE
Prime.
(4) The term ‘‘TRICARE Standard’’ means the
option of the TRICARE program that is also known
as the Civilian Health and Medical Program of the
Uniformed Services, as defined in section 1072(4) of
title 10, United States Code.
(5) The term ‘‘United States’’ means the United
States (as defined in section 101(a) of title 10, United
States Code), its possessions (as defined in such sec-
tion), and the Commonwealth of Puerto Rico.
SEC. 703. REPORT ON PATIENT SATISFACTION SURVEYS.
(a) REPORT REQUIRED.—Not later than March 1,
2008, the Secretary of Defense shall submit to the congres-
sional defense committees a report on the ongoing patient
satisfaction surveys taking place in Department of Defense
inpatient and outpatient settings at military treatment fa-
cilities.
(b) CONTENT.—The report required under subsection
(a) shall include the following:
(1) The types of survey questions asked.
(2) How frequently the surveying is conducted.
(3) How often the results are analyzed and re-
ported back to the treatment facilities.
(4) To whom survey feedback is made available.
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(5) How best practices are incorporated for qual-
ity improvement.
(6) An analysis of the impact and effect of inpa-
tient and outpatient surveys quality improvement
and a comparison of patient satisfaction survey pro-
grams with patient satisfaction survey programs used
by other public and private health care systems and
organizations.
(c) USE OF REPORT INFORMATION.—The Secretary
shall use information in the report as the basis for a plan
for improvements in patient satisfaction surveys at health
care at military treatment facilities in order to ensure the
provision of high quality healthcare and hospital services
in such facilities.
SEC. 704. REVIEW OF LICENSED MENTAL HEALTH COUN-
SELORS, SOCIAL WORKERS, AND MARRIAGE
AND 
FAMILY 
THERAPISTS 
UNDER 
THE
TRICARE PROGRAM.
(a) REVIEW REQUIRED.—The Secretary of Defense
shall enter into a contract with the Institute of Medicine
of the National Academy of Sciences, or another similarly
qualified independent academic medical organization, for
the purpose of—
(1) conducting an independent study of the com-
parability of credentials, preparation, and training of
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individuals practicing as licensed mental health coun-
selors, social workers, and marriage and family thera-
pists under the TRICARE program to provide mental
health services; and
(2) making recommendations for permitting such
professionals to practice independently under the
TRICARE program.
(b) ELEMENTS.—The study required by subsection (a)
shall provide for each of the health care professions referred
to in subsection (a)(1) the following:
(1) An assessment of the educational require-
ments and curriculums relevant to mental health
practice for members of such profession, including
types of degrees recognized, certification standards for
graduate programs for such profession, and recogni-
tion of undergraduate coursework for completion of
graduate degree requirements.
(2) An assessment of State licensing require-
ments for members of such profession, including for
each level of licensure if a State issues more than one
type of license for the profession. The assessment shall
examine requirements in the areas of education,
training, examination, continuing education, and
ethical standards, and shall include an evaluation of
the extent to which States, through their scope of
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practice, either implicitly or explicitly authorize
members of such profession to diagnose and treat
mental illnesses.
(3) An analysis of the requirements for clinical
experience in such profession to be recognized under
regulations for the TRICARE program, and rec-
ommendations, if any, for standardization or adjust-
ment of such requirements with those of the other pro-
fessions.
(4) An assessment of the extent to which practi-
tioners under such profession are authorized to prac-
tice independently under other Federal programs
(such as the Medicare program, the Department of
Veterans Affairs, the Indian Health Service, Head
Start, and the Federal Employee Health Benefits Pro-
gram), and a review the relationship, if any, between
recognition of such profession under the Medicare pro-
gram and independent practice authority for such
profession under the TRICARE program.
(5) An assessment of the extent to which practi-
tioners under such profession are authorized to prac-
tice independently under private insurance plans.
The assessment shall identify the States having laws
requiring private insurers to cover, or offer coverage
of, the services of members of such profession, and
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shall identify the conditions, if any, that are placed
on coverage of practitioners under such profession by
insurance plans and how frequently these types of
conditions are used by insurers.
(6) An historical review of the regulations issued
by the Department of Defense regarding which mem-
bers of such profession are recognized as providers
under the TRICARE program as independent practi-
tioners, and an examination of the recognition by the
Department of third party certification for members
of such profession.
(c) PROVIDERS STUDIED.—It the sense of Congress
that the study required by subsection (a) should focus only
on those practitioners of each health care profession referred
to in subsection (a)(1) who are permitted to practice under
regulations for the TRICARE program as specified in sec-
tion 119.6 of title 32, Code of Federal Regulations.
(d) CLINICAL CAPABILITIES STUDIES.—The study re-
quired by subsection (a) shall include a review of outcome
studies and of the literature regarding the comparative
quality and effectiveness of care provided by practitioners
within each of the health care professions referred to in sub-
section (a)(1), and provide an independent review of the
findings.
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(e) RECOMMENDATIONS FOR TRICARE INDEPENDENT
PRACTICE AUTHORITY.—The recommendations provided
under subsection (a)(2) shall include specific recommenda-
tion (whether positive or negative) regarding modifications
of current policy for the TRICARE program with respect
to allowing members of each of the health care professions
referred to in subsection (a)(1) to practice independently
under the TRICARE program, including recommendations
regarding possible revision of requirements for recognition
of practitioners under each such profession.
(f) REPORT .—Not later than 180 days after the date
of the enactment of this Act, the Secretary shall submit to
the Committees on Armed Services of the Senate and the
House of Representatives a report on the review required
by subsection (a).
SEC. 705. SENSE OF SENATE ON COLLABORATIONS BE-
TWEEN THE DEPARTMENT OF DEFENSE AND
THE DEPARTMENT OF VETERANS AFFAIRS ON
HEALTH CARE FOR WOUNDED WARRIORS.
(a) FINDINGS.—The Senate makes the following find-
ings:
(1) There have been recent collaborations between
the Department of Defense, the Department of Vet-
erans Affairs, and the civilian medical community for
purposes of providing high quality medical care to
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America’s wounded warriors. One such collaboration
is occurring in Augusta, Georgia, between the Dwight
D. Eisenhower Army Medical Center at Fort Gordon,
the Augusta Department of Veterans Affairs Medical
Center, the Medical College of Georgia, and local
health care providers under the TRICARE program.
(2) Medical staff from the Dwight D. Eisenhower
Army Medical Center and the Augusta Department of
Veterans Affairs Medical Center have been meeting
weekly to discuss future patient cases for the Active
Duty Rehabilitation Unit (ADRU) within the Up-
town Department of Veterans Affairs facility. The Ac-
tive Duty Rehabilitation Unit, along with the
Polytrauma Centers of the Department of Veterans
Affairs, provide rehabilitation for members of the
Armed Forces on active duty.
(3) Since 2004, 1,037 soldiers, sailors, airmen,
and marines have received rehabilitation services at
the Active Duty Rehabilitation Unit, 32 percent of
whom served in Operation Iraqi Freedom or Oper-
ation Enduring Freedom.
(4) The Dwight D. Eisenhower Army Medical
Center and the Augusta Department of Veterans Af-
fairs Medical Center have combined their neuro-
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surgery programs and have coordinated on critical
brain injury and psychiatric care.
(5) The Department of Defense, the Army, and
the Army Medical Command have recognized the need
for expanded behavioral health care services for mem-
bers of the Armed Forces returning from Operation
Iraqi Freedom and Operation Enduring Freedom.
These services are currently being provided by the
Dwight D. Eisenhower Army Medical Center.
(b) SENSE OF SENATE.—It is the sense of the Senate
that the Department of Defense should encourage con-
tinuing collaboration between the Army and the Depart-
ment of Veterans Affairs in treating America’s wounded
warriors and, when appropriate and available, provide ad-
ditional support and resources for the development of such
collaborations, including the current collaboration between
the Active Duty Rehabilitation Unit at the Augusta Depart-
ment of Veterans Affairs Medical Center, Georgia, and the
behavioral health care services program at the Dwight D.
Eisenhower Army Medical Center, Fort Gordon, Georgia.
SEC. 706. AUTHORITY FOR EXPANSION OF PERSONS ELIGI-
BLE FOR CONTINUED HEALTH BENEFITS
COVERAGE.
(a) AUTHORITY TO SPECIFY ADDITIONAL ELIGIBLE
PERSONS.—Subsection (b) of section 1078a of title 10,
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United States Code, is amended by adding at the end the
following new paragraph:
‘‘(4) Any other person specified in regulations
prescribed by the Secretary of Defense for purposes of
this paragraph who loses entitlement to health care
services under this chapter or section 1145 of this
title, subject to such terms and conditions as the Sec-
retary shall prescribe in the regulations.’’.
(b) ELECTION OF COVERAGE.—Subsection (d) of such
section is amended by adding at the end the following new
paragraph:
‘‘(4) In the case of a person described in sub-
section (b)(4), by such date as the Secretary shall pre-
scribe in the regulations required for purposes of that
subsection.’’.
(c) PERIOD OF COVERAGE.—Subsection (g)(1) of such
section is amended—
(1) in subparagraph (B), by striking ‘‘and’’ at
the end;
(2) in subparagraph (C), by striking the period
at the end and inserting ‘‘; and’’; and
(3) by adding at the end the following new sub-
paragraph:
‘‘(D) in the case of a person described in sub-
section (b)(4), the date that is 36 months after the
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date on which the person loses entitlement to health
care services as described in that subsection.’’.
SEC. 707. CONTINUATION OF ELIGIBILITY FOR TRICARE
STANDARD COVERAGE FOR CERTAIN MEM-
BERS OF THE SELECTED RESERVE.
(a) IN GENERAL.—Section 706(f) of the John Warner
National Defense Authorization Act for Fiscal Year 2007
(Public Law 109–364; 120 Stat. 2282; 10 U.S.C. 1076d
note) is amended—
(1) by striking ‘‘Enrollments’’ and inserting ‘‘(1)
Except as provided in paragraph (2), enrollments’’;
and
(2) by adding at the end the following new para-
graph:
‘‘(2) The enrollment of a member in TRICARE Stand-
ard that is in effect on the day before health care under
TRICARE Standard is provided pursuant to the effective
date in subsection (g) shall not be terminated by operation
of the exclusion of eligibility under subsection (a)(2) of such
section 1076d, as so amended, for the duration of the eligi-
bility of the member under TRICARE Standard as in effect
on October 16, 2006.’’.
(b) EFFECTIVE DATE.—The amendments made by sub-
section (a) shall take effect on October 1, 2007.
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SEC. 708. AUTHORITY FOR SPECIAL REIMBURSEMENT
RATES FOR MENTAL HEALTH CARE SERVICES
UNDER THE TRICARE PROGRAM.
(a) AUTHORITY.—Section 1079(h)(5) of title 10,
United States Code, is amended in the first sentence by in-
serting ‘‘, including mental health care services,’’ after
‘‘health care services’’.
(b) REPORT ON ACCESS TO MENTAL HEALTH CARE
SERVICES.—Not later than one year after the date of the
enactment of this Act, the Secretary of Defense shall submit
to the Committees on Armed Services of the Senate and the
House of Representatives a report on the adequacy of access
to mental health services under the TRICARE program, in-
cluding in the geographic areas where surveys on the con-
tinued viability of TRICARE Standard and TRICARE
Extra are conducted under section 702 of this Act.
SEC. 709. IMPLEMENTATION OF RECOMMENDATIONS OF DE-
PARTMENT OF DEFENSE MENTAL HEALTH
TASK FORCE.
(a) IN GENERAL.—As soon as practicable, but not
later than May 31, 2008, the Secretary of Defense shall im-
plement the recommendations of the Department of Defense
Task Force on Mental Health developed pursuant to section
723 of the National Defense Authorization Act for Fiscal
Year 2006 (Public Law 109–163; 119 Stat. 3348) to ensure
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a full continuum of psychological health services and care
for members of the Armed Forces and their families.
(b) IMPLEMENTATION
OF CERTAIN RECOMMENDA-
TIONS.—Not later than 180 days after the date of the enact-
ment of this Act, the Secretary shall implement the fol-
lowing recommendations of the Department of Defense Task
Force on Mental Health:
(1) The implementation of a comprehensive pub-
lic education campaign to reduce the stigma associ-
ated with mental health problems.
(2) The appointment of a psychological director
of health for each military department, each military
treatment facility, the National Guard, and the Re-
serve Component, and the establishment of a psycho-
logical health council.
(3) The establishment of a center of excellence for
the study of psychological health.
(4) The enhancement of TRICARE benefits and
care for mental health problems.
(5) The implementation of an annual psycho-
logical health assessment addressing cognition, psy-
chological functioning, and overall psychological read-
iness for each member of the Armed Forces, including
members of the National Guard and Reserve Compo-
nent.
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(6) The development of a model for allocating re-
sources to military mental health facilities, and serv-
ices embedded in line units, based on an assessment
of the needs of and risks faced by the populations
served by such facilities and services.
(7) The issuance of a policy directive to ensure
that each military department carefully assesses the
history of occupational exposure to conditions poten-
tially resulting in post-traumatic stress disorder,
traumatic brain injury, or related diagnoses in mem-
bers of the Armed Forces facing administrative or
medical discharge.
(8) The maintenance of adequate family support
programs for families of deployed members of the
Armed Forces.
(c) RECOMMENDATIONS REQUIRING LEGISLATIVE AC-
TION.—Not later than 60 days after the date of the enact-
ment of this Act, the Secretary shall submit to the congres-
sional defense committees a description of any legislative
action required to implement the recommendations of the
Department of Defense Mental Health Task Force.
(d) RECOMMENDATIONS TO BE NOT IMPLEMENTED.—
Not later than 180 days after the date of the enactment of
this Act, the Secretary shall submit to the congressional de-
fense committees a description of any recommendations of
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the Department of Defense Mental Health Task Force the
Secretary of Defense has determined not to implement.
(e) PROGRESS REPORTS REQUIRED.—
(1) IN GENERAL.—Not later than 180 days after
the date of the enactment of this Act, and every six
months thereafter until the date described in para-
graph (2), the Secretary shall submit to the congres-
sional defense committees a report on the status of the
implementation of the recommendations of the De-
partment of Defense Mental Health Task Force.
(2) DATE DESCRIBED.—The date described in
this paragraph is the date on which all recommenda-
tions of the Department of Defense Mental Health
Task Force have been implemented other than the rec-
ommendations the Secretary has determined pursuant
to subsection (d) not to implement.
SEC. 710. CENTER OF EXCELLENCE IN PREVENTION, DIAG-
NOSIS, MITIGATION, TREATMENT, AND REHA-
BILITATION OF MILITARY EYE INJURIES.
(a) ESTABLISHMENT.—
(1) IN GENERAL.—Chapter 55 of title 10, United
States Code, is amended by inserting after section
1105 the following new section:
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‘‘§ 1105a. Center of Excellence in Prevention, Diag-
nosis, Mitigation, Treatment, and Reha-
bilitation of Military Eye Injuries
‘‘(a) IN GENERAL.—The Secretary of Defense shall es-
tablish within the Department of Defense a center of excel-
lence in the prevention, diagnosis, mitigation, treatment,
and rehabilitation of military eye injuries to carry out the
responsibilities specified in subsection (c). The center shall
be known as a ‘Center of Excellence in Prevention, Diag-
nosis, Mitigation, Treatment, and Rehabilitation of Mili-
tary Eye Injuries’.
‘‘(b) PARTNERSHIPS.—The Secretary shall ensure that
the Center collaborates to the maximum extent practicable
with the Department of Veterans Affairs, institutions of
higher education, and other appropriate public and private
entities (including international entities) to carry out the
responsibilities specified in subsection (c).
‘‘(c) RESPONSIBILITIES.—(1) The Center shall—
‘‘(A) develop, implement, and oversee a registry
of information for the tracking of the diagnosis, sur-
gical intervention or other operative procedure, other
treatment, and follow up for each case of eye injury
incurred by a member of the armed forces in combat
that requires surgery or other operative intervention;
and
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‘‘(B) ensure the electronic exchange with Sec-
retary of Veterans Affairs of information obtained
through tracking under subparagraph (A).
‘‘(2) The registry under this subsection shall be known
as the ‘Military Eye Injury Registry’.
‘‘(3) The Center shall develop the Registry in consulta-
tion with the ophthalmological specialist personnel and op-
tometric specialist personnel of the Department of Defense.
The mechanisms and procedures of the Registry shall reflect
applicable expert research on military and other eye inju-
ries.
‘‘(4) The mechanisms of the Registry for tracking
under paragraph (1)(A) shall ensure that each military
medical treatment facility or other medical facility shall
submit to the Center for inclusion in the Registry informa-
tion on the diagnosis, surgical intervention or other opera-
tive procedure, other treatment, and follow up for each case
of eye injury described in that paragraph as follows (to the
extent applicable):
‘‘(A) Not later than 72 hours after surgery or
other operative intervention.
‘‘(B) Any clinical or other operative intervention
done within 30 days, 60 days, or 120 days after sur-
gery or other operative intervention as a result of a
follow-up examination.
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‘‘(C) Not later than 180 days after surgery or
other operative intervention.
‘‘(5)(A) The Center shall provide notice to the Blind
Service or Low Vision Optometry Service, as applicable, of
the Department of Veterans Affairs on each member of the
armed forces described in subparagraph (B) for purposes
of ensuring the coordination of the provision of visual reha-
bilitation benefits and services by the Department of Vet-
erans Affairs after the separation or release of such member
from the armed forces.
‘‘(B) A member of the armed forces described in this
subparagraph is a member of the armed forces as follows:
‘‘(i) A member with an eye injury incurred in
combat who has a visual acuity of 20⁄200 or less in ei-
ther eye.
‘‘(ii) A member with an eye injury incurred in
combat who has a loss of peripheral vision of twenty
degrees or less.
‘‘(d) UTILIZATION OF REGISTRY INFORMATION.—The
Secretary of Defense and the Secretary of Veterans Affairs
shall jointly ensure that information in the Military Eye
Injury Registry is available to appropriate ophthalmo-
logical and optometric personnel of the Department of Vet-
erans Affairs for purposes of encouraging and facilitating
the conduct of research, and the development of best prac-
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tices and clinical education, on eye injuries incurred by
members of the armed forces in combat.’’.
(2) CLERICAL AMENDMENT.—The table of sec-
tions at the beginning of chapter 55 of such title is
amended by inserting after the item relating to sec-
tion 1105 the following new item:
‘‘1105a. Center of Excellence in Prevention, Diagnosis, Mitigation, Treatment,
and Rehabilitation of Military Eye Injuries.’’.
(b) INCLUSION
OF RECORDS
OF OIF/OEF VET-
ERANS.—The Secretary of Defense shall take appropriate
actions to include in the Military Eye Injury Registry es-
tablished under section 1105a of title 10, United States
Code (as added by subsection (a)), such records of members
of the Armed Forces who incurred an eye injury in combat
in Operation Iraqi Freedom or Operation Enduring Free-
dom before the establishment of the Registry as the Sec-
retary considers appropriate for purposes of the Registry.
(c) REPORT ON ESTABLISHMENT.—Not later than 180
days after the date of the enactment of this Act, the Sec-
retary shall submit to Congress a report on the status of
the Center of Excellence in Prevention, Diagnosis, Mitiga-
tion, Treatment, and Rehabilitation of Military Eye Inju-
ries under section 1105a of title 10, United States Code (as
so added), including the progress made in established the
Military Eye Injury Registry required under that section.
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(d) TRAUMATIC BRAIN INJURY POST TRAUMATIC VIS-
UAL SYNDROME.—In carrying out the program at Walter
Reed Army Medical Center, District of Columbia, on Trau-
matic Brain Injury Post Traumatic Visual Syndrome, the
Secretary of Defense and the Department of Veterans Af-
fairs shall jointly provide for the conduct of a cooperative
study on neuro-optometric screening and diagnosis of mem-
bers of the Armed Forces with Traumatic Brain Injury by
military medical treatment facilities of the Department of
Defense and medical centers of the Department of Veterans
Affairs selected for purposes of this subsection for purposes
of vision screening, diagnosis, rehabilitative management,
and vision research on visual dysfunction related to Trau-
matic Brain Injury.
(e) FUNDING.—Of the amounts available for Defense
Health Program, $5,000,000 may be available for the Cen-
ter of Excellence in Prevention, Diagnosis, Mitigation,
Treatment, and Rehabilitation of Military Eye Injuries
under section 1105a of title 10, United States Code (as so
added).
SEC. 711. REPORT ON ESTABLISHMENT OF A SCHOLARSHIP
PROGRAM FOR CIVILIAN MENTAL HEALTH
PROFESSIONALS.
(a) REPORT REQUIRED.—Not later than 180 days
after the date of the enactment of this Act, the Secretary
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of Defense shall, in consultation with the Assistant Sec-
retary of Defense for Health Affairs and each of the Sur-
geons General of the Armed Forces, shall submit to Congress
a report on the feasibility and advisability of establishing
a scholarship program for civilian mental health profes-
sionals.
(b) ELEMENTS.—The report shall include the fol-
lowing:
(1) An assessment of a potential scholarship pro-
gram that provides certain educational funding to
students seeking a career in mental health services in
exchange for service in the Department of Defense.
(2) An assessment of current scholarship pro-
grams which may be expanded to include mental
health professionals.
(3) Recommendations regarding the establish-
ment or expansion of scholarship programs for mental
health professionals.
(4) A plan to implement, or reasons for not im-
plementing, recommendations that will increase men-
tal health staffing across the Department of Defense.
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SEC. 712. REPORT ON MEDICAL PHYSICAL EXAMINATIONS
OF MEMBERS OF THE ARMED FORCES BE-
FORE THEIR DEPLOYMENT.
Not later than April 1, 2008, the Secretary of Defense
shall submit to the Committees on Armed Services of the
Senate and the House of Representatives a report setting
forth the following:
(1) The results of a study of the frequency of
medical physical examinations conducted by each
component of the Armed Forces (including both the
regular components and the reserve components of the
Armed Forces) for members of the Armed Forces with-
in such component before their deployment.
(2) A comparison of the policies of the military
departments concerning medical physical examina-
tions of members of the Armed Forces before their de-
ployment, including an identification of instances in
which a member (including a member of a reserve
component) may be required to undergo multiple
physical examinations, from the time of notification
of an upcoming deployment through the period of
preparation for deployment.
(3) A model of, and a business case analysis for,
each of the following:
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(A) A single predeployment physical exam-
ination for members of the Armed Forces before
their deployment.
(B) A single system for tracking electroni-
cally the results of examinations under subpara-
graph (A) that can be shared among the military
departments and thereby eliminate redundancy
of medical physical examinations for members of
the Armed Forces before their deployment.
SEC. 713. ONE-YEAR EXTENSION OF PROHIBITION ON IN-
CREASES IN CERTAIN HEALTH CARE COSTS
FOR MEMBERS OF THE UNIFORMED SERV-
ICES.
(a) CHARGES
UNDER
CONTRACTS
FOR
MEDICAL
CARE.—Section 1097(e) of title 10, United States Code, is
amended by striking ‘‘September 30, 2007’’ and inserting
‘‘September 30, 2008’’.
(b) 
CHARGES
FOR
INPATIENT
CARE.—Section
1086(b)(3) of such title is amended by striking ‘‘September
30, 2007’’ and inserting ‘‘September 30, 2008’’.
(c) PREMIUMS UNDER TRICARE COVERAGE
FOR
CERTAIN MEMBERS IN THE SELECTED RESERVE.—Section
1076d(d)(3) of such title is amended by striking ‘‘September
30, 2007’’ and inserting ‘‘September 30, 2008’’.
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(d) PREMIUMS UNDER TRICARE COVERAGE
FOR
MEMBERS OF THE READY RESERVE.—Section 1076b(e)(3)
of such title is amended by striking ‘‘September 30, 2007’’
and inserting ‘‘September 30, 2008’’.
SEC. 714. TEMPORARY PROHIBITION ON INCREASE IN CO-
PAYMENTS UNDER RETAIL PHARMACY SYS-
TEM OF PHARMACY BENEFITS PROGRAM.
During the period beginning on October 1, 2007, and
ending on September 30, 2008, the cost sharing require-
ments established under paragraph (6) of section 1074g(a)
of title 10, United States Code, for pharmaceutical agents
available through retail pharmacies covered by paragraph
(2)(E)(ii) of such section may not exceed amounts as fol-
lows:
(1) In the case of generic agents, $3.
(2) In the case of formulary agents, $9.
(3) In the case of nonformulary agents, $22.
SEC. 715. SENSE OF CONGRESS ON FEES AND ADJUST-
MENTS UNDER THE TRICARE PROGRAM.
It is the sense of Congress that—
(1) career members of the uniformed services and
their families endure unique and extraordinary de-
mands, and make extraordinary sacrifices, over the
course of 20-year to 30-year careers in protecting free-
dom for all Americans;
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(2) these demands and sacrifices are such that
few Americans are willing to accept them for a multi-
decade career;
(3) a primary benefit of enduring the extraor-
dinary sacrifices inherent in a military career is a
system of exceptional retirement benefits that a grate-
ful Nation provides for those who choose to subordi-
nate much of their personal life to the national inter-
est for so many years;
(4) proposals to compare cash fees paid by re-
tired military members and their families to fees paid
by civilians fail to recognize adequately that military
members prepay the equivalent of very large advance
premiums for health care in retirement through their
extended service and sacrifice, in addition to cash
fees, deductibles, and copayments;
(5) the Department of Defense and the Nation
have a committed obligation to provide health care
benefits to active duty, National Guard, Reserve and
retired members of the uniformed services and their
families and survivors that considerably exceeds the
obligation of corporate employers to provide health
care benefits to their employees; and
(6) the Department of Defense has options to
constrain the growth of health care spending in ways
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that do not disadvantage retired members of the uni-
formed services, and should pursue any and all such
options as a first priority.
SEC. 716. CONTINUATION OF TRANSITIONAL HEALTH BENE-
FITS FOR MEMBERS OF THE ARMED FORCES
PENDING RESOLUTION OF SERVICE-RELATED
MEDICAL CONDITIONS.
Section 1145(a) of title 10, United States Code, is
amended—
(1) in paragraph (3), by striking ‘‘Transitional
health care’’ and inserting ‘‘Except as provided in
paragraph (6), transitional health care’’; and
(2) by adding at the end the following new para-
graph:
‘‘(6)(A) A member who has a medical condition relat-
ing to service on active duty that warrants further medical
care shall be entitled to receive medical and dental care for
such medical condition as if the member were a member
of the armed forces on active duty until such medical condi-
tion is resolved.
‘‘(B) The Secretary concerned shall ensure that the De-
fense Enrollment and Eligibility Reporting System
(DEERS) is continually updated in order to reflect the con-
tinuing entitlement of members covered by subparagraph
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(A) to the medical and dental care referred to in that sub-
paragraph.’’.
TITLE VIII—ACQUISITION POL-
ICY, ACQUISITION MANAGE-
MENT, AND RELATED MAT-
TERS
Subtitle A—Provisions Relating to
Major Defense Acquisition Pro-
grams
SEC. 801. SUBSTANTIAL SAVINGS UNDER MULTIYEAR CON-
TRACTS.
(a) DEFINITION IN REGULATIONS OF SUBSTANTIAL
SAVINGS UNDER MULTIYEAR CONTRACTS.—
(1) IN GENERAL.—Not later than 60 days after
the date of the enactment of this Act, the Secretary of
Defense shall modify the regulations prescribed pursu-
ant to subsection (b)(2)(A) of section 2306b of title 10,
United States Code, to define the term ‘‘substantial
savings’’ for purposes of subsection (a)(1) of such sec-
tion. Such regulations shall specify that—
(A) savings that exceed 10 percent of the
total anticipated costs of carrying out a program
through annual contracts shall be considered to
be substantial;