Sec. 711. Access to health care under the TRICARE program
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/bill/114/hr/1735/eas/section-711·A research copy — for the controlling text, always check the official state or federal source. Not legal advice.
The Secretary of Defense shall ensure that covered beneficiaries under the TRICARE program seeking an appointment for health care under such program at a military medical treatment facility obtain such an appointment at such facility within the wait-time goals specified for the receipt of such health care pursuant to the health care access standards established under subsection (b). If a covered beneficiary is unable to obtain an appointment within the wait-time goals described in paragraph (1), such covered beneficiary shall be offered an appointment within such wait-time goals with a health care provider with which a contract has been entered into under the TRICARE program.
Not later than 180 days after the date of the enactment of this Act, the Secretary shall establish health care access standards, including wait-time goals for appointments, for the receipt of health care under the TRICARE program, whether received at military medical treatment facilities or from health care providers with which a contract has been entered into under such program. The health care access standards established under paragraph
(1)shall include standards with respect to the following categories of health care: Primary care, including pediatric care, maternity care, gynecological care, and other subcategories of primary care. Specialty care, including behavioral health care and other subcategories of specialty care. The Secretary may modify the health care access standards established under paragraph
(1)whenever the Secretary considers the modification of such standards appropriate. The Secretary shall publish the health care access standards established under paragraph (1), and any modifications to such standards, in the Federal Register and on a publicly accessible Internet website of the Department of Defense. Not later than 180 days after the date of the enactment of this Act, the Secretary shall publish on a publicly accessible Internet website of each military medical treatment facility that offers a category or subcategory of health care covered by the standards under subsection (b)(2) the average wait-time for a covered beneficiary for an appointment at such facility for the receipt of each such category and subcategory of health care. Whenever there is a modification of a wait-time for a category or subcategory of health care published under this subsection, the Secretary shall publish on a publicly accessible Internet website of each military medical treatment facility that provides such category or subcategory of health care the modified wait-time for such category or subcategory of health care. In this section, the terms covered beneficiary and TRICARE program have the meaning given such terms in section 1072 of title 10, United States Code.