DISEASE AND CHRONIC CARE MANAGEMENT.

SEC. 734. DISEASE AND CHRONIC CARE MANAGEMENT.(a) Program Design and Development Required.—Not later than October 1, 2007, the Secretary of Defense shall design and develop a fully integrated program on disease and chronic care management for the military health care system that provides, to the extent practicable, uniform policies and practices on disease management and chronic care management throughout that system, including both military hospitals and clinics and civilian healthcare providers within the TRICARE network.(b) Purposes of Program.—The purposes of the program required by subsection (a) are as follows:(1) To facilitate the improvement of the health status of individuals under care in the military health care system.(2) To ensure the availability of effective health care services in that system for individuals with diseases and other chronic conditions.(3) To ensure the proper allocation of health care resources for individuals who need care for disease or other chronic conditions.(c) Elements of Program Design.—The program design required by subsection (a) shall meet the following requirements:(1) Based on uniform policies prescribed by the Secretary, the program shall, at a minimum, address the following chronic diseases and conditions:(A) Diabetes.(B) Cancer.(C) Heart disease.(D) Asthma.(E) Chronic obstructive pulmonary disorder.(F) Depression and anxiety disorders.(2) The program shall meet nationally recognized accreditation standards for disease and chronic care management.(3) The program shall include specific outcome measures and objectives on disease and chronic care management.120 STAT. 2300(4) The program shall include strategies for disease and chronic care management for all beneficiaries, including beneficiaries eligible for benefits under the Medicare program under title XVIII of the Social Security Act (42 U.S.C. 1395 et seq.), for whom the TRICARE program is not the primary payer for health care benefits.(5) Activities under the program shall conform to applicable laws and regulations relating to the confidentiality of health care information.(d) Implementation Plan Required.—Not later than February 1, 2008, the Secretary of Defense, in coordination with the Secretaries of the military departments, shall develop an implementation plan for the disease and chronic care management program. In order to facilitate the carrying out of the program, the plan developed by the Secretary shall—(1) require a comprehensive analysis of the disease and chronic care management opportunities within each region of the TRICARE program, including within military treatment facilities and through contractors under the TRICARE program;(2) ensure continuous, adequate funding of disease and chronic care management activities throughout the military health care system in order to achieve maximum health outcomes and cost avoidance;(3) eliminate, to the extent practicable, any financial disincentives to sustained investment by military hospitals and health care services contractors of the Department of Defense in the disease and chronic care management activities of the Department;(4) ensure that appropriate clinical and claims data, including pharmacy utilization data, is available for use in implementing the program;(5) ensure outreach to eligible beneficiaries who, on the basis of their clinical conditions, are candidates for the program utilizing print and electronic media, telephone, and personal interaction; and(6) provide a system for monitoring improvements in health status and clinical outcomes under the program and savings associated with the program.(e) Report.—(1) In general.—Not later than March 1, 2008, the Secretary of Defense shall submit to the Committees on Armed Services of the Senate and the House of Representatives a report on the design, development, and implementation of the program on disease and chronic care management required by this section.(2) Report elements.—The report required by paragraph (1) shall include the following:(A) A description of the design and development of the program required by subsection (a).(B) A description of the implementation plan required by subsection (d).(C) A description and assessment of improvements in health status and clinical outcomes that are anticipated as a result of implementation of the program.(D) A description of the savings and return on investment associated with the program.120 STAT. 2301(E) A description of an investment strategy to assure the sustainment of the disease and chronic care management programs of the Department of Defense.