Protecting Our Servicemembers' Care Act of 2020
This bill directs the Government Accountability Office to report on any lapses in a reservist's TRICARE coverage that occurred during the previous eight years and were caused by a change in duty status.
[Congressional Bills 116th Congress]
[From the U.S. Government Publishing Office]
[H.R. 7081 Introduced in House (IH)]
<DOC>
116th CONGRESS
2d Session
H. R. 7081
To direct the Comptroller General of the United States to submit to
Congress a report on lapses in coverage under the TRICARE program for
certain members of the National Guard and reserve components.
_______________________________________________________________________
IN THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES
June 1, 2020
Mr. Rouda (for himself, Mr. Green of Tennessee, Mr. Cisneros, Ms. Foxx
of North Carolina, Ms. Lee of California, Ms. Norton, Mr. Young, Mr.
Austin Scott of Georgia, Mr. McNerney, Mr. Pappas, Mrs. Radewagen, Mr.
Lynch, Mr. Ryan, Mr. Carson of Indiana, Mr. Case, Mr. Babin, Mr.
Fitzpatrick, Mr. Correa, Mr. Harder of California, Mr. McGovern, and
Mr. Cardenas) introduced the following bill; which was referred to the
Committee on Armed Services
_______________________________________________________________________
A BILL
To direct the Comptroller General of the United States to submit to
Congress a report on lapses in coverage under the TRICARE program for
certain members of the National Guard and reserve components.
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 ``Protecting Our Servicemembers' Care
Act of 2020''.
SEC. 2. REPORT ON LAPSES IN TRICARE COVERAGE FOR MEMBERS OF THE
NATIONAL GUARD AND RESERVE COMPONENTS.
(a) Report.--Not later than one year after the date of the
enactment of this Act, the Comptroller General of the United States
shall submit to the appropriate congressional committees a report
containing an analysis of each of the following:
(1) Any lapses in coverage under the TRICARE program for a
member of a reserve component that occurred during the eight
year period ending on the date of the enactment of this Act and
were caused by a change in the duty status of such member,
including an identification of the total number of such lapses.
(2) The factors contributing to any such lapses,
including--
(A) technological factors, including factors
relating to outdated systems;
(B) human errors in processing changes in duty
status; and
(C) shortages in the level of administrative
staffing of the National Guard.
(3) How factors contributing to any such lapses were
identified under paragraph (2) and whether actions have been
taken to address the factors.
(4) The effect of any such lapses on--
(A) the delivery of health care benefits to members
of the reserve components and the eligible dependents
of such members; or
(B) force readiness and force retention.
(5) The parties responsible for identifying and
communicating to a member of a reserve component issues
relating to eligibility under the TRICARE program.
(6) The methods by which a member of a reserve component,
an eligible dependent of such member, or the Secretary of
Defense may verify the status of enrollment in the TRICARE
program regarding the member before, during, and after a
deployment of the member.
(7) The comparative effectiveness, with respect to the
delivery of health care benefits to a member of a reserve
component and eligible dependents of such member, of--
(A) continuing the current process by which a
previously eligible member must transition from
coverage under TRICARE Reserve Select to coverage under
TRICARE Prime after a change to active service in the
duty status of such member; and
(B) establishing a new process by which a
previously eligible member may remain covered by
TRICARE Reserve Select after a change to active service
in the duty status of such member (whether by allowing
a previously eligible member to pay a premium for such
coverage or by requiring the Federal Government to
provide for such coverage).
(8) Whether the current process referred to in paragraph
(7)(A) negatively affects the delivery of health care benefits
as a result of transitions between network providers.
(9) The actions necessary to prevent future occurrences of
such lapses, including legislative actions.
(b) Definitions.--In this section:
(1) The term ``active service'' has the meaning given that
term in section 101(d) of title 10, United States Code.
(2) The term ``appropriate congressional committees'' means
the congressional defense committees (as defined in section
101(a) of title 10, United States Code) and the Committees on
Veterans' Affairs of the House of Representatives and the
Senate.
(3) The term ``eligible dependent'' means a dependent of a
member of a reserve component--
(A) described in subparagraph (A), (D), or (I) of
section 1072(2) of title 10, United States Code; and
(B) eligible for coverage under the TRICARE
Program.
(4) The term ``previously eligible member'' means a member
of a reserve component who was eligible for coverage under
TRICARE Reserve Select pursuant to section 1076d of title 10,
United States Code, prior to a change to active service in the
duty status of such member.
(5) The terms ``TRICARE Prime'' and ``TRICARE program''
have the meanings given those terms in section 1072 of title
10, United States Code.
(6) The term ``TRICARE Reserve Select'' has the meaning
given that term in section 1076d(f) of title 10, United States
Code.
<all>
Introduced in House
Introduced in House
Referred to the House Committee on Armed Services.
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