Continued evaluation of the TRICARE program through beneficiary experience surveys

(a) Continued evaluation required The Secretary of Defense shall ensure the sustained collection and analysis of beneficiary experience data necessary to support the ongoing evaluation of the TRICARE program in meeting the goals of— (1) increasing access to health care for covered beneficiaries under chapter 55 of title 10, United States Code; (2) improving the quality of health care provided to covered beneficiaries; and (3) informing oversight of the performance of the military health system. (b) Elements of evaluation The evaluation under subsection (a) shall include an assessment of each of the following: (1) The impact of the TRICARE program on members of the covered Armed Forces and the dependents of such members, retirees of the covered Armed Forces and the dependents of such retirees, and dependents with severe disabilities and chronic health care needs of members of the covered Armed Forces serving on active duty regarding access, costs, quality, and beneficiary experience. (2) Barriers affecting beneficiary utilization of military medical treatment facilities and factors influencing the use of purchased care in lieu of direct care. (3) Patient safety, quality of care, and access to care at military medical treatment facilities, including appointment wait times, beneficiary satisfaction, and comparison to the access standards of the Department of Defense. (4) Trends in beneficiary experience and access to care over time through the use of longitudinal population-level data collection methodologies. (c) Submission The Secretary shall submit to the Committees on Armed Services of the House of Representatives and the Senate the results of each evaluation under subsection (a). (d) Continuity of data collection The Secretary of Defense shall ensure that any transition or modification to beneficiary experience survey methodologies does not result in a lapse in the collection, analysis, or reporting of population-level beneficiary experience data necessary to support the evaluation, performance assessment, and reporting requirements, of the military health system. (e) Covered Armed Force In this section: (1) The term covered Armed Force means the Army, Navy, Air Force, Marine Corps, and Space Force. (2) The term covered beneficiary means a covered beneficiary, as defined in section 1072 of title 10, United States Code, who is a beneficiary by reason of the service by an individual in a covered Armed Force. (3) The term TRICARE program has the meaning given that term in section 1072 of title 10, United States Code.

(a) Continued evaluation required The Secretary of Defense shall ensure the sustained collection and analysis of beneficiary experience data necessary to support the ongoing evaluation of the TRICARE program in meeting the goals of— (1) increasing access to health care for covered beneficiaries under chapter 55 of title 10, United States Code; (2) improving the quality of health care provided to covered beneficiaries; and (3) informing oversight of the performance of the military health system. (b) Elements of evaluation The evaluation under subsection (a) shall include an assessment of each of the following: (1) The impact of the TRICARE program on members of the covered Armed Forces and the dependents of such members, retirees of the covered Armed Forces and the dependents of such retirees, and dependents with severe disabilities and chronic health care needs of members of the covered Armed Forces serving on active duty regarding access, costs, quality, and beneficiary experience. (2) Barriers affecting beneficiary utilization of military medical treatment facilities and factors influencing the use of purchased care in lieu of direct care. (3) Patient safety, quality of care, and access to care at military medical treatment facilities, including appointment wait times, beneficiary satisfaction, and comparison to the access standards of the Department of Defense. (4) Trends in beneficiary experience and access to care over time through the use of longitudinal population-level data collection methodologies. (c) Submission The Secretary shall submit to the Committees on Armed Services of the House of Representatives and the Senate the results of each evaluation under subsection (a). (d) Continuity of data collection The Secretary of Defense shall ensure that any transition or modification to beneficiary experience survey methodologies does not result in a lapse in the collection, analysis, or reporting of population-level beneficiary experience data necessary to support the evaluation, performance assessment, and reporting requirements, of the military health system. (e) Covered Armed Force In this section: (1) The term covered Armed Force means the Army, Navy, Air Force, Marine Corps, and Space Force. (2) The term covered beneficiary means a covered beneficiary, as defined in section 1072 of title 10, United States Code, who is a beneficiary by reason of the service by an individual in a covered Armed Force. (3) The term TRICARE program has the meaning given that term in section 1072 of title 10, United States Code.