TRICARE STANDARD IN TRICARE REGIONAL OFFICES.

SEC. 716. TRICARE STANDARD IN TRICARE REGIONAL OFFICES.(a) Responsibilities of TRICARE Regional Office.—The responsibilities of each TRICARE Regional Office shall include the monitoring, oversight, and improvement of the TRICARE Standard option in the TRICARE region concerned, including—(1) identifying health care providers who will participate in the TRICARE program and provide the TRICARE Standard option under that program;(2) communicating with beneficiaries who receive the TRICARE Standard option;(3) outreach to community health care providers to encourage their participation in the TRICARE program; and(4) publication of information that identifies health care providers in the TRICARE region concerned who provide the TRICARE Standard option.(b) Annual Report.—The Secretary of Defense shall submit an annual report to the Committees on Armed Services of the Senate and the House of Representatives on the monitoring, oversight, and improvement of TRICARE Standard activities of each TRICARE Regional Office. The report shall include—(1) a description of the activities of the TRICARE Regional Office to monitor, oversee, and improve the TRICARE Standard option;(2) an assessment of the participation of eligible health care providers in TRICARE Standard in each TRICARE region; and(3) a description of any problems or challenges that have been identified by both providers and beneficiaries with respect to use of the TRICARE Standard option and the actions undertaken to address such problems or challenges.(c) Definition.—In this section, the term “TRICARE Standard” or “TRICARE standard option” means the Civilian Health and Medical Program of the Uniformed Services option under the TRICARE program.