EVALUATION AND REPORT ON TRICARE PROGRAM EFFECTIVENESS.

SEC. 717. [10 U.S.C. 1073 note] EVALUATION AND REPORT ON TRICARE PROGRAM EFFECTIVENESS. (a) Evaluation Required.—The Secretary of Defense shall arrange for an on-going evaluation of the effectiveness of the TRICARE program in meeting the goals of increasing the access of covered beneficiaries under chapter 55 of title 10, United States Code, to health care and improving the quality of health care provided to covered beneficiaries, without increasing the costs incurred by the Government or covered beneficiaries. The evaluation shall specifically— (1) address the impact of the TRICARE program on military retirees with regard to access, costs, and quality of health care services; (2) identify noncatchment areas in which the health maintenance organization option of the TRICARE program is available or is proposed to become available; and (3) address patient safety, quality of care, and access to care at military medical treatment facilities, including— (A) an identification of the number of practitioners providing health care in military medical treatment facilities that were reported to the National Practitioner Data Bank during the year preceding the evaluation; and (B) with respect to each military medical treatment facility, an assessment of— (i) the current accreditation status of such facility, including any recommendations for corrective action made by the relevant accrediting body; (ii) any policies or procedures implemented during such year by the Secretary of the military department concerned that were designed to improve patient safety, quality of care, and access to care at such facility; (iii) data on surgical and maternity care outcomes during such year; (iv) data on appointment wait times during such year; and (v) data on patient safety, quality of care, and access to care as compared to standards established by the Department of Defense with respect to patient safety, quality of care, and access to care. (b) Entity To Conduct Evaluation.—The Secretary may use a federally funded research and development center to conduct the evaluation required by subsection (a). (c) Annual Report.—Not later than March 1, 1997, and each March 1 thereafter, the Secretary shall submit to Congress a report describing the results of the evaluation under subsection (a) during the preceding year. * * * * * * *