Sec. 730. Study on the treatment of TRICARE beneficiaries who are residents of Puerto Rico
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The Secretary of Defense, and with respect to members of the Coast Guard, in coordination with the Secretary of the Department in which the Coast Guard is operating when it is not operating as a service in the Navy, shall conduct a study on the feasibility and effect of extending the eligibility to enroll in, and the coverage of, TRICARE Prime to members of the Armed Forces and covered beneficiaries who reside in Puerto Rico to the same degree that a covered beneficiary who resides in any of the several States may enroll in TRICARE Prime. The study under subsection
(a)shall address the following: The requirements, as of the date of the study, for a covered beneficiary to be eligible to enroll in the TRICARE program in Puerto Rico. The number of— covered beneficiaries who are enrolled in the TRICARE program who reside in Puerto Rico; and such covered beneficiaries who would potentially enroll in TRICARE Prime if the Secretary extends TRICARE Prime as described in subsection (a). The demographic distribution of covered beneficiaries who reside in Puerto Rico. The access of such covered beneficiaries to health care networks, including trauma care centers, as of the date of the study. The quality of such health care networks. The costs and timeline requirements for extending TRICARE Prime as described in subsection (a). The feasibility of using medical resources of the Department of Defense to cover gaps in service availability in Puerto Rico if such extension does not occur. Not later than 90 days after the date of the enactment of this Act, the Secretary shall submit to the congressional defense committees a report on the study under subsection (a). In this section, the terms covered beneficiary , TRICARE Prime , and TRICARE program have the meanings given those terms in section 1072 of title 10, United States Code.