TRICARE Equality Act

Bill: 118-hr-254
Sponsor: full_name: Rescom. González-Colón, Jenniffer [R-PR-At Large]
Introduced: 2023-01-10
Policy area: Armed Forces and National Security
Subjects: Computers and information technology

Congressional oversight

Health care coverage and access

Health information and medical records

Health programs administration and funding

Military medicine

Puerto Rico

Transportation costs

U.S. territories and protectorates
Latest action: action_date: 2023-01-10
text: Referred to the House Committee on Armed Services.

Summaries:
action_date: 2023-01-10
action_desc: Introduced in House
text: <p><b>TRICARE Equality Act</b></p> <p>This bill addresses the administration of Department of Defense (DOD) health care programs and benefits in Puerto Rico.</p> <p>Specifically, the bill requires DOD to treat the administration of TRICARE Prime availability in Puerto Rico in a similar manner as a state. </p> <p>The bill also requires DOD to ensure that, in providing travel and transportation allowances related to specialty medical treatment, individuals located in Puerto Rico are eligible to receive such allowances.</p> <p>The Federal Electronic Health Record Modernization Office must coordinate with the Department of Health of Puerto Rico to share health information through the Joint Health Information Exchange.</p>

tv_txt: I 118th CONGRESS 1st Session H. R. 254 IN THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES January 10, 2023 Miss González-Colón introduced the following bill; which was referred to the Committee on Armed Services A BILL To amend title 10, United States Code, to improve the administration of the TRICARE program in Puerto Rico, and for other purposes.

1. Short title This Act may be cited as the TRICARE Equality Act . 2. Improvements relating to administration of TRICARE program in Puerto Rico (a) Improvements (1) In general Chapter 55 of title 10, United States Code, is amended by inserting after section 1076f the following new section (and conforming the table of sections at the beginning of such chapter accordingly): 1076g. TRICARE program: administration in Puerto Rico (a) Availability of TRICARE Prime In designating geographical areas under section 1097(b)(3) of this title, the Secretary of Defense shall designate such areas in Puerto Rico in a similar manner used to designate such areas in the 50 States. (b) Expansion of travel benefits (1) In providing travel and transportation allowances under section 1074i of this title, the Secretary of Defense shall ensure that individuals located in Puerto Rico who, but for such location, would be eligible to receive such allowances pursuant to such section are eligible to receive such allowances. (2) The Secretary may revise the regulations prescribed under section 464 of title 37, or prescribe such new regulations, as may be necessary for the administration of paragraph (1). (c) Health information exchange The Director of the Federal Electronic Health Record Modernization Office shall coordinate with the Director of the Department of Health of Puerto Rico for the purpose of sharing health information through the Joint Health Information Exchange, or such successor initiative. (d) Federal Electronic Health Record Modernization Office In this section, the term Federal Electronic Health Record Modernization Office means the Office established under section 1635(b) of the Wounded Warrior Act (title XVI of Public Law 110–181 ; 10 U.S.C. 1071 note). . (2) Sunset Section 1076g of title 10, United States Code, as added by paragraph (1), shall be repealed on the date on which Puerto Rico is declared to be a State of the United States of America and is admitted to the Union on equal footing with the other States in all respects. (b) Report Not later than 180 days after the date of the enactment of this Act, the Secretary of Defense shall submit to the Committees on Armed Services of the House of Representatives and the Senate a report on the progress of the Secretary in implementing the requirements of section 1076g of title 10, United States Code, as added by subsection (a)(1).