STUDY ON JOINT OPERATIONS FOR THE DEFENSE HEALTH PROGRAM.

SEC. 726. STUDY ON JOINT OPERATIONS FOR THE DEFENSE HEALTH PROGRAM. Not later than October 1, 2000, the Secretary of Defense shall prepare and submit to Congress a study identifying areas with respect to the Defense Health Program for which joint operations might be increased, including organization, training, patient care, hospital management, and budgeting. The study shall include a discussion of the merits and feasibility of—113 STAT. 699 (1) establishing a joint command for the Defense Health Program as a military counterpart to the Assistant Secretary of Defense for Health Affairs; (2) establishing a joint training curriculum for the Defense Health Program; and (3) creating a unified chain of command and budgeting authority for the Defense Health Program.