What This Bill Does
This bill changes how the TRICARE health program (a military health care program for military families and retirees) operates in Puerto Rico. It requires the Secretary of Defense to treat Puerto Rico more like the 50 states when making decisions about TRICARE coverage and benefits.
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Who It Affects
People in Puerto Rico who are eligible for TRICARE health benefits. The Secretary of Defense. The Director of the Federal Electronic Health Record Modernization Office. The Director of the Department of Health of Puerto Rico.
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Key Provisions
- The Secretary of Defense must designate TRICARE Prime service areas in Puerto Rico using the same method used for the 50 states. (Sec. 2(a)(1))
- The Secretary of Defense must ensure that people in Puerto Rico who would qualify for travel and transportation benefits receive those benefits the same way as people in the states. (Sec. 2(a)(1))
- The Federal Electronic Health Record Modernization Office must work with Puerto Rico's Department of Health to share health information through the Joint Health Information Exchange or a similar system. (Sec. 2(a)(1))
- The Secretary of Defense must submit a report to Congress within 180 days after the law passes about how the changes are being implemented. (Sec. 2(b))
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What Changes
If this bill becomes law, TRICARE coverage rules in Puerto Rico will be administered using the same procedures applied in the 50 states. People in Puerto Rico will have access to the same travel benefits as eligible people in the states.
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Important Definitions
- Federal Electronic Health Record Modernization Office: The office established under section 1635(b) of the Wounded Warrior Act.
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Effective Date
Not specified in bill text
I
118TH CONGRESS
1ST SESSION
H. R. 254
To amend title 10, United States Code, to improve the administration of
the TRICARE program in Puerto Rico, and for other purposes.
IN THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES
JANUARY 10, 2023
Miss GONZA´LEZ-COLO´N introduced the following bill; which was referred to
the Committee on Armed Services
A BILL
To amend title 10, United States Code, to improve the
administration of the TRICARE program in Puerto Rico,
and for other purposes.
Be it enacted by the Senate and House of Representa-
1
tives of the United States of America in Congress assembled,
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SECTION 1. SHORT TITLE.
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This Act may be cited as the ‘‘TRICARE Equality
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Act’’.
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SEC. 2. IMPROVEMENTS RELATING TO ADMINISTRATION
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OF TRICARE PROGRAM IN PUERTO RICO.
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(a) IMPROVEMENTS.—
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(1) IN
GENERAL.—Chapter 55 of title 10,
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United States Code, is amended by inserting after
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•HR 254 IH
section 1076f the following new section (and con-
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forming the table of sections at the beginning of
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such chapter accordingly):
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‘‘§ 1076g. TRICARE program: administration in Puer-
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to Rico
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‘‘(a) AVAILABILITY OF TRICARE PRIME.—In desig-
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nating geographical areas under section 1097(b)(3) of this
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title, the Secretary of Defense shall designate such areas
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in Puerto Rico in a similar manner used to designate such
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areas in the 50 States.
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‘‘(b) EXPANSION OF TRAVEL BENEFITS.—(1) In pro-
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viding travel and transportation allowances under section
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1074i of this title, the Secretary of Defense shall ensure
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that individuals located in Puerto Rico who, but for such
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location, would be eligible to receive such allowances pur-
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suant to such section are eligible to receive such allow-
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ances.
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‘‘(2) The Secretary may revise the regulations pre-
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scribed under section 464 of title 37, or prescribe such
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new regulations, as may be necessary for the administra-
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tion of paragraph (1).
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‘‘(c) HEALTH INFORMATION EXCHANGE.—The Di-
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rector of the Federal Electronic Health Record Moderniza-
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tion Office shall coordinate with the Director of the De-
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partment of Health of Puerto Rico for the purpose of
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•HR 254 IH
sharing health information through the Joint Health In-
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formation Exchange, or such successor initiative.
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‘‘(d) FEDERAL ELECTRONIC HEALTH RECORD MOD-
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ERNIZATION OFFICE.—In this section, the term ‘Federal
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Electronic Health Record Modernization Office’ means the
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Office established under section 1635(b) of the Wounded
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Warrior Act (title XVI of Public Law 110–181; 10 U.S.C.
7
1071 note).’’.
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(2) SUNSET.—Section 1076g of title 10, United
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States Code, as added by paragraph (1), shall be re-
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pealed on the date on which Puerto Rico is declared
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to be a State of the United States of America and
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is admitted to the Union on equal footing with the
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other States in all respects.
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(b) REPORT.—Not later than 180 days after the date
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of the enactment of this Act, the Secretary of Defense
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shall submit to the Committees on Armed Services of the
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House of Representatives and the Senate a report on the
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progress of the Secretary in implementing the require-
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ments of section 1076g of title 10, United States Code,
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as added by subsection (a)(1).
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