FUTURE AVAILABILITY OF TRICARE PRIME THROUGHOUT THE UNITED STATES.

SEC. 732. FUTURE AVAILABILITY OF TRICARE PRIME THROUGHOUT THE UNITED STATES.(a) Report Required.—(1) In general.—Not later than 90 days 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 setting forth the policy of the Department of Defense on the future availability of TRICARE Prime under the TRICARE program for eligible beneficiaries in all TRICARE regions throughout the United States.(2) Elements.—The report required by paragraph (1) shall include the following:(A) A description, by region, of the difference in availability of TRICARE Prime for eligible beneficiaries (other than eligible beneficiaries on active duty in the Armed Forces) under newly awarded TRICARE managed care contracts, including, in particular, an identification of the regions or areas in which TRICARE Prime will no longer be available for such beneficiaries under such contracts.126 STAT. 1817(B) An estimate of the increased costs to be incurred by an affected eligible beneficiary for health care under the TRICARE program.(C) An estimate of the savings to be achieved by the Department as a result of the contracts described in subparagraph (A).(D) A description of the plans of the Department to continue to assess the impact on access to health care for affected eligible beneficiaries.(E) A description of the plan of the Department to provide assistance to affected eligible beneficiaries who are transitioning from TRICARE Prime to TRICARE Standard, including assistance with respect to identifying health care providers.(F) Any other matter the Secretary considers appropriate.(b) Definitions.—In this section:(1) The term “affected eligible beneficiary” means an eligible beneficiary under the TRICARE Program (other than eligible beneficiaries on active duty in the Armed Forces) who, as of the date of the enactment of this Act—(A) is enrolled in TRICARE Prime; and(B) resides in a region of the United States in which TRICARE Prime enrollment will no longer be available for such beneficiary under a contract described in subsection (a)(2)(A) that does not allow for such enrollment because of the location in which such beneficiary resides.(2) The term “TRICARE Prime” means the managed care option of the TRICARE program.(3) The term “TRICARE program” has the meaning given that term in section 1072(7) of title 10, United States Code.(4) The term “TRICARE Standard” means the fee-for-service option of the TRICARE Program.