Study on military health system

(a) Study (1) In general Not later than June 1, 2027, the Secretary of Defense shall seek to enter into a contract or other agreement with a federally funded research and development center pursuant to which the center shall carry out a study on the military health system. (2) Elements The study required under paragraph (1) shall include— (A) an analysis of the sufficiency of the military health system— (i) to provide combat casualty care and force health protection to ensure the preservation of the joint force; (ii) to achieve its goals of ensuring the health and fitness of members of the Armed Forces; (iii) to meet the needs of the combatant commands in a large scale combat operation; (iv) to conduct pandemic response; (v) through military and civilian medical doctors and other health care providers and administrators, to provide forward-deployed medical care during sustained armed conflict; and (vi) to provide a world-class health care benefit to members of the Armed Forces, former members of the Armed Forces, and their dependents. (B) an in-depth analysis of future options for the military health system, including— (i) maintaining the TRICARE program with its structure as of the date of the enactment of this Act using large managed care support contractors offering provider networks under the military health system; (ii) creating a marketplace of plans under the TRICARE program analogous to the Federal Employee Health Benefit Plan under chapter 89 of title 5, United States Code; (iii) eliminating large managed care support contracts and requiring health care providers to accept beneficiaries enrolled in the TRICARE program as a condition of participating in the Medicare program under title XVIII of the Social Security Act (42 U.S.C. 1395 et seq.) or directly establishing a network of providers without the use of a managed care support contractor; (iv) the integration of the military health system managed care support contract with the community care model of the Department of Veterans Affairs; and (v) any other viable model for health coverage that accomplishes the goals in subparagraph (A); and (C) recommendations for the future of the military health system, including policy and statutory changes. (b) Requirements Each option assessed under subsection (a)(2)(B) shall include— (1) an analysis of the viability of incorporating such option into the direct care system of health care facilities and providers of the Department of Defense, and any possible risks to the effectiveness of such direct care system; (2) cost assessments; and (3) the application of game theory and other strategic analytical methods to model and assess the anticipated behavior and incentives of key stakeholders, including health care providers, beneficiaries, managed care contractors, and Federal health programs, under such option. (c) Report to Secretary The federally funded research and development center that carries out the study under subsection (a) shall submit to the Secretary of Defense a report on the results of such study. (d) Reports and briefings to Congress Not later than March 1, 2028, the Secretary of Defense shall— (1) submit to the Committees on Armed Services of the Senate and the House of Representatives an unaltered copy of the report received by the Secretary under subsection (c), which shall include— (A) a detailed explanation of the strategy, methodology, assumptions, and economic analysis used to conduct the study under subsection (a), including any force shaping constructs, scenarios, and assumptions used as a part of such study; and (B) an assessment of operational risk based on the risk management classifications of the Chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff set forth in the Joint Risk Analysis and Methodology on October 12, 2021 (Joint Staff Manual 3105.01A), or successor manual; and (2) provide to the Committees on Armed Services of the Senate and the House of Representatives a briefing on the results of such study.