Sec. 721. Consolidation of the medical departments of the Army, Navy, and Air Force into the Defense Health Agency
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Not earlier than the date that is 60 days after the Committees on Armed Services of the Senate and the House of Representatives receive the consolidation plan submitted under subsection (d), the Secretary of Defense shall disestablish the medical departments of the Armed Forces and consolidate all activities of such departments into the Defense Health Agency in a manner that— ensures continuity in the provision of health care services to members of the Armed Forces and other eligible beneficiaries; and maintains the medical force readiness capabilities of the military health system.
The consolidation required by this section shall, at a minimum, meet the requirements of this subsection. All medical operations of the Department of Defense (including all military medical treatment facilities, training organizations, and medical research entities of the military departments) shall be discharged through a single agency established or organized within, and assigned to, the Defense Health Agency. The Director of the Defense Health Agency shall be an officer of the Armed Forces who, while so serving, holds the grade of lieutenant general or, in the case of the Navy, vice admiral.
The Director shall be appointed from among officers of the Armed Services who are members of the medical corps, the dental corps, the medical service corps (including the biomedical service corps), or the nurse corps. An individual appointed as the Director shall serve a term of not fewer than four years. The Defense Health Agency shall have four subordinate organizations as follows: An organization that includes all military medical treatment facilities, including facilities or elements that are combined or operating jointly with a medical facility of another department or agency of the Federal Government.
An organization responsible for the following: All medical professional recruitment and retention activities of the Department. All medical training, education, research, and development activities of the Department Any organizations designated as executive agents of the Department for medical operations or activities of the Department as of December 31, 2016. An organization responsible for the activities and duties of the Defense Health Agency as of December 31, 2016. An organization responsible for all activities and duties of the Department to improve and maintain medical force readiness capabilities and to ensure the combat casualty care and trauma readiness of military health care providers.
The head of each subordinate organization under this paragraph shall, while so serving, be an officer of the Armed Forces who holds the grade of major general or, in the case of the Navy, rear admiral, or a civilian of equivalent grade. The head of each subordinate organization, if an officer of the Armed Forces, shall be a member of the medical corps, the dental corps, the medical service corps (including the biomedical service corps), or the nurse corps. The Director of the Defense Health Agency shall, subject to the supervision and control of the Assistant Secretary of Defense for Health Affairs, be responsible for and have the authority to conduct the following functions relating to the medical operations activities of the Department:
Development of programs and doctrine. Preparation and submittal of program recommendations and budget proposals to the Secretary of Defense. Exercise of authority, direction, and control over the expenditure of funds of the Defense Health Program. Planning, budgeting, and expenditure of military construction funds within the Defense Health Program. Training assigned medical forces and conducting specialized medical instruction for military personnel. Validation, establishment, and prioritizing of requirements.
Ensuring interoperability of equipment and forces. Monitoring promotions, assignments, retention, training, and professional military education of military health care providers. Notwithstanding a single agency structure for medical operations of the Department, the unique operational medical capabilities and expertise of health care professionals of each of the Armed Forces shall, to the extent practicable, be preserved and maintained. Section 3036 of title 10, United States Code, is amended— in subsection (d), by striking
(1); by redesignating subsection
(e)as subsection (g); by redesignating paragraphs
(2)and
(3)of subsection
(d)as paragraphs
(1)and (2), respectively, of a new subsection (e); and by adding after subsection (e), as provided for by subparagraph (C), the following new subsection (f): The Surgeon General serves as the principal advisor to the Secretary of the Army and the Chief of Staff of the Army on all health and medical matters of the Army, including strategic planning and policy development relating to such matters. The Surgeon General serves as the chief medical advisor of Army to the Defense Health Agency on matters pertaining to military health readiness requirements and safety of members of the Army. . Section 5137 of title 10, United States Code, is amended to read as follows: The Surgeon General of the Navy shall be appointed by the President, by and with the advice and consent of the Senate. The Surgeon General shall perform duties prescribed by the Secretary of the Navy and by law. The Surgeon General serves as the principal advisor to the Secretary of the Navy and the Chief of Naval Operations on all health and medical matters of the Navy and the Marine Corps, including strategic planning and policy development relating to such matters. The Surgeon General serves as the chief medical advisor of the Navy and the Marine Corps to the Defense Health Agency on matters pertaining to military health readiness requirements and safety of members of the Navy and the Marine Corps. . The table of sections at the beginning of chapter 513 of such title is amended by striking the item relating to section 5137 and inserting the following new item: 5137. Surgeon General: appointment; duties. . Section 8036 of title 10, United States Code, is amended to read as follows: The Surgeon General of the Air Force shall be appointed by the President, by and with the advice and consent of the Senate. The Surgeon General shall perform duties prescribed by the Secretary of the Air Force and by law. The Surgeon General serves as the principal advisor to the Secretary of the Air Force and the Chief of Staff of the Air Force on all health and medical matters of the Air Force, including strategic planning and policy development relating to such matters. The Surgeon General serves as the chief medical advisor of the Air Force to the Defense Health Agency on matters pertaining to military health readiness requirements and safety of members of the Air Force. . The table of sections at the beginning of chapter 805 of such title is amended by striking the item relating to section 8036 and inserting the following new item: 8036. Surgeon General: appointment; duties. . Before taking any action under subsection
(a)to consolidate the activities of the medical departments of the Armed Forces, the Secretary of Defense shall submit to Committees on Armed Services of the Senate and the House of Representatives a plan to consolidate such activities. The plan submitted under paragraph
(1)with respect to the consolidation of the activities of the medical departments of the Armed Forces under subsection
(a)shall include, at a minimum, the following: A description of the organizational structure of the Defense Health Agency under such consolidation. A description of the manning and management of all medical personnel under such consolidation. A description of the command responsibilities of the Director of the Defense Health Agency, the head of each subordinate organization within the Defense Health Agency, and the Surgeons General of the Army, Navy, and Air Force under such consolidation. A description of the authorities and responsibilities of each commander of an installation or military service under such consolidation. A description of the activities carried out by all elements of the Defense Health Agency under such consolidation. An assessment of the impact of such consolidation on— health care provided by the Department of Defense, including the cost effectiveness of such care; the military readiness of members of the Armed Forces; and the ability of members of the Armed Forces to meet deployment requirements. An assessment of the delineation of accountability across the military health system under such consolidation. Not later than 180 days after the Secretary of Defense submits the plan under paragraph (1), the Comptroller General of the United States shall submit to the Committees on Armed Services of the Senate and the House of Representatives a review of such plan. Not later than January 1, 2017, the Secretary of the Defense shall submit to the Committees on Armed Services of the Senate and the House of Representatives a report on the consolidation required by this section. The number of military, civilian, and contractor positions to be eliminated from headquarters staffs by the disestablishment of the medical departments of the Armed Forces and the consolidation of all activities of such departments into the Defense Health Agency. The number of general and flag officer billets to be eliminated from each Armed Force by the disestablishment and consolidation. The cost savings expected to be realized as a result of the disestablishment and consolidation. The complete schedule for the disestablishment and consolidation. A description of the additional legislative authorities, if any, required to fully carry out the disestablishment and consolidation.