Defense Health Care: Status of Fiscal Year 2004 Requirements for Reservists' Benefits and Monitoring Beneficiaries' Access to Care
Abstract
Since September 2001, about 360,000 reservists have been called to active duty to support the war on terrorism, conflicts in Afghanistan and Iraq, and other operations. Some reservists have been on active duty for a year or more, and the pace of reserve operations is expected to remain high for the foreseeable future. When mobilized for active duty under federal authorities, reservists are eligible to receive health care benefits through DOD's military health care system, TRICARE. When reservists are ordered to active duty for more than 30 days, their families are also eligible for health benefits. DOD supplements its military health care facilities with civilian health care providers through its triple-option TRICARE program. DODs beneficiaries may enroll in TRICAR's Prime option and go to a network provider to receive care; without enrolling, they can see a network provider through the preferred provider option, Extra; or they may elect to use Standard, the fee-for-service option. 1 Some beneficiaries have raised concerns about difficulties in finding civilian providers--particularly Standard, non-network providers--who will accept TRICARE beneficiaries as patients.
Document Details
- Document Type
- Technical Report
- Publication Date
- Mar 17, 2004
- Accession Number
- AD1166424
Entities
People
- Allan Richardson
- Bonnie W. Anderson
- Lois Shoemaker
- Marcia Cross
Organizations
- United States Government Accountability Office