110 HR 2632 IH: TRICARE Equality Act U.S. House of Representatives 2025-04-03 text/xml EN Pursuant to Title 17 Section 105 of the United States Code, this file is not subject to copyright protection and is in the public domain.

I119th CONGRESS1st SessionH. R. 2632IN THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVESApril 3, 2025Mr. Hernández (for himself, Ms. Brownley, and Ms. Norton) introduced the following bill; which was referred to the Committee on Armed ServicesA BILLTo amend title 10, United States Code, to improve the administration of the TRICARE program in Puerto Rico, and for other purposes.

1.

Short title

This Act may be cited as the TRICARE Equality Act.

2.

Improvements relating to administration of TRICARE program in Puerto Rico

(a)

Improvements

Chapter 55 of title 10, United States Code, is amended by inserting after section 1076f the following new section (and conforming the table of sections at the beginning of such chapter accordingly):

1076g.

TRICARE program: administration in Puerto Rico

(a)

Availability of TRICARE Prime

In designating geographical areas under section 1097(b)(3) of this title, the Secretary of Defense shall designate such areas in Puerto Rico in a similar manner used to designate such areas in the several States.(b)

Expansion of travel benefits

(1)In providing travel and transportation allowances under section 1074i of this title, the Secretary of Defense shall ensure that individuals located in Puerto Rico who, but for such location, would be eligible to receive such allowances pursuant to such section are eligible to receive such allowances.(2)The Secretary may revise the regulations prescribed under section 464 of title 37, or prescribe such new regulations, as may be necessary for the administration of paragraph (1).(c)

Health information exchange

The Director of the Federal Electronic Health Record Modernization Office shall coordinate with the Director of the Department of Health of Puerto Rico for the purpose of sharing health information through the Joint Health Information Exchange, or such successor initiative.(d)

Federal Electronic Health Record Modernization Office defined

In this section, the term Federal Electronic Health Record Modernization Office means the Office established under section 1635(b) of the Wounded Warrior Act (title XVI of Public Law 110–181; 10 U.S.C. 1071 note).

.(b)

Report

Not later than 180 days after the date of the enactment of this Act, the Secretary of Defense shall submit to the Committees on Armed Services of the House of Representatives and the Senate a report on the progress of the Secretary in implementing the requirements of section 1076g of title 10, United States Code, as added by subsection (a).