ASSESSMENT OF RECEIPT BY CIVILIANS OF EMERGENCY MEDICAL TREATMENT AT MILITARY MEDICAL TREATMENT FACILITIES.

SEC. 749. ASSESSMENT OF RECEIPT BY CIVILIANS OF EMERGENCY MEDICAL TREATMENT AT MILITARY MEDICAL TREATMENT FACILITIES. (a) Assessment.—Not later than one year after the date of the enactment of this Act, the Comptroller General of the United States shall complete an assessment of the provision by the Secretary of Defense of emergency medical treatment to civilians who are not covered beneficiaries at military medical treatment facilities during the period beginning on October 1, 2015, and ending on September 30, 2020. (b) Elements of Assessment.—The assessment under subsection (a) shall include, with respect to civilians who received emergency medical treatment at a military medical treatment facility during the period specified in such paragraph, the following: (1) The total fees charged to such civilians for such treatment and the total fees collected. (2) The amount of medical debt from such treatment that was garnished from such civilians, categorized by garnishment from Social Security benefits, tax refunds, wages, or other financial assets. (3) The number of such civilians from whom medical debt from such treatment was garnished. (4) The total fees for such treatment that were waived for such civilians. (5) With respect to medical debt incurred by such civilians from such treatment— (A) the amount of such debt that was collected by the Secretary of Defense; (B) the amount of such debt still owed to the Department of Defense; and (C) the amount of such debt transferred from the Department of Defense to the Department of the Treasury for collection. (6) The number of such civilians from whom such medical debt was collected who did not possess medical insurance at the time of such treatment. (7) The number of such civilians from whom such medical debt was collected who collected Social Security benefits at the time of such treatment. (8) The number of such civilians from whom such medical debt was collected who, at the time of such treatment, earned— (A) less than the poverty line; (B) less than 200 percent of the poverty line; (C) less than 300 percent of the poverty line; and (D) less than 400 percent of the poverty line. (9) An assessment of the process through which military medical treatment facilities seek to recover unpaid medical debt from such civilians, including whether the Secretary of Defense contracts with private debt collectors to recover such unpaid medical debt. (10) An assessment of the process, if any, through which such civilians can apply to have medical debt for such treatment waived, forgiven, canceled, or otherwise determined to not be a financial obligation of the civilian. (11) Such other information as the Comptroller General determines appropriate. (c) Reports.—The Comptroller General shall submit to the Committees on Armed Services of the Senate and the House of Representatives— (1) not later than December 1, 2021, a report containing preliminary observations with respect to the assessment under subsection (a); and (2) at such time and in such format as is mutually agreed upon by the committees and the Comptroller General, a report containing the final results of such assessment. (d) Definitions.—In this section: (1) The term “civilian” means an individual who is not— (A) a member of the Armed Forces; (B) a contractor of the Department of Defense; or (C) a civilian employee of the Department. (2) The term “covered beneficiary” has the meaning given that term in section 1072(5) of title 10, United States Code. (3) The term “poverty line” has the meaning given that term in section 673 of the Community Services Block Grant Act (42 U.S.C. 9902).