[Congressional Bills 109th Congress]
[From the U.S. Government Publishing Office]
[H.R. 1594 Introduced in House (IH)]






109th CONGRESS
  1st Session
                                H. R. 1594

To require the Secretary of Defense to develop and implement a plan to 
 provide chiropractic health care services and benefits as part of the 
                            TRICARE program.


_______________________________________________________________________


                    IN THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES

                             April 13, 2005

 Mr. Bradley of New Hampshire (for himself and Mr. Meehan) introduced 
   the following bill; which was referred to the Committee on Armed 
                                Services

_______________________________________________________________________

                                 A BILL


 
To require the Secretary of Defense to develop and implement a plan to 
 provide chiropractic health care services and benefits as part of the 
                            TRICARE program.

    Be it enacted by the Senate and House of Representatives of the 
United States of America in Congress assembled,

SECTION 1. SHORT TITLE.

    This Act may be cited as the ``Chiropractic Health Parity for 
Military Retirees and Dependents Act''.

SEC. 2. CHIROPRACTIC HEALTH CARE FOR RETIREES, DEPENDENTS, AND 
              SURVIVORS.

    (a) Plan Required.--Not later than July 31, 2005, the Secretary of 
Defense shall complete development of a plan to provide chiropractic 
health care services and benefits, as a permanent part of the TRICARE 
program, for covered beneficiaries.
    (b) Contents of Plan.--The plan shall require that a contract 
entered into under section 1097 of title 10, United States Code, for 
the delivery of health care services shall--
            (1) include the delivery of chiropractic services;
            (2) require that chiropractic services may be provided only 
        by a doctor of chiropractic; and
            (3) provide that a covered beneficiary may select and have 
        direct access to a doctor of chiropractic without referral by 
        another health practitioner.
    (c) Implementation of Plan.--The plan developed under subsection 
(a) shall provide for implementation of the plan to begin no later than 
December 31, 2005.
    (d) Definitions.--In this section:
            (1) The term ``chiropractic services''--
                    (A) includes the diagnosis (including by diagnostic 
                X-ray tests), correction, and management of vertebral 
                subluxations or neuromusculoskeletal conditions, and 
                such other chiropractic services determined appropriate 
                by the Secretary; and
                    (B) does not include the use of drugs or surgery.
            (2) The term ``covered beneficiary'' has the meaning 
        provided by section 1072(5) of title 10, United States Code.
            (3) The term ``doctor of chiropractic'' includes only a 
        doctor of chiropractic who is licensed as such by the State in 
        which chiropractic services are furnished.
            (4) The term ``TRICARE program'' has the meaning provided 
        by section 1072(7) of title 10, United States Code.
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