Chiropractic Health Parity for Military Beneficiaries Act

Chiropractic Health Parity for Military Beneficiaries Act

This bill directs the Department of Defense to provide chiropractic health care services and benefits through the TRICARE program to uniformed service members who are not on active duty, uniformed service retirees, and their dependents. (Active duty members of the uniformed services are currently eligible for chiropractic services and benefits through the Chiropractic Health Care Program.)

[Congressional Bills 115th Congress]
[From the U.S. Government Publishing Office]
[H.R. 4973 Introduced in House (IH)]

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115th CONGRESS
  2d Session
                                H. R. 4973

To require the Secretary of Defense to develop and implement a plan to 
provide chiropractic health care services and benefits for certain new 
             beneficiaries as part of the TRICARE program.


_______________________________________________________________________


                    IN THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES

                            February 7, 2018

  Mr. Rogers of Alabama (for himself and Mr. Loebsack) introduced the 
 following bill; which was referred to the Committee on Armed Services

_______________________________________________________________________

                                 A BILL


 
To require the Secretary of Defense to develop and implement a plan to 
provide chiropractic health care services and benefits for certain new 
             beneficiaries as part of the TRICARE program.

    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 ``Chiropractic Health Parity for 
Military Beneficiaries Act''.

SEC. 2. CHIROPRACTIC HEALTH CARE FOR RETIREES, DEPENDENTS, AND 
              SURVIVORS.

    (a) Plan Required.--Not later than 30 days after the date of the 
enactment of this Act, the Secretary of Defense shall complete 
development of a plan to provide chiropractic health care services and 
benefits, as a permanent part of the TRICARE program, for covered 
beneficiaries.
    (b) Contents of Plan.--The plan shall require that a contract 
entered into under section 1097 of title 10, United States Code, for 
the delivery of health care services shall--
            (1) include the delivery of chiropractic services;
            (2) require that chiropractic services may be provided only 
        by a doctor of chiropractic; and
            (3) provide that a covered beneficiary may select and have 
        direct access to a doctor of chiropractic without referral by 
        another health practitioner.
    (c) Implementation of Plan.--The plan developed under subsection 
(a) shall provide for implementation of the plan to begin not later 
than 60 days after the date on which the plan is completed.

SEC. 3. DEFINITIONS.

    In this Act:
            (1) The term ``chiropractic services''--
                    (A) includes diagnosis (including by diagnostic x-
                ray tests), evaluation and management, and therapeutic 
                services for the treatment of a patient's health 
                condition, including neuromusculoskeletal conditions 
                and the subluxation complex, and such other services 
                determined appropriate by the Secretary and as 
                authorized under State law; and
                    (B) does not include the use of drugs or surgery.
            (2) The term ``covered beneficiary'' has the meaning 
        provided by section 1072(5) of title 10, United States Code.
            (3) The term ``doctor of chiropractic'' means only a doctor 
        of chiropractic who is licensed as a doctor of chiropractic, 
        chiropractic physician, or chiropractor by a State, the 
        District of Columbia, or a territory or possession of the 
        United States.
            (4) The term ``TRICARE program'' has the meaning provided 
        by section 1072(7) of title 10, United States Code.
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