[Congressional Bills 113th Congress]
[From the U.S. Government Publishing Office]
[H.R. 4101 Introduced in House (IH)]

113th CONGRESS
  2d Session
                                H. R. 4101

    To amend title 10, United States Code, to ensure that a TRICARE 
beneficiary receives written notice of any change to benefits received 
 by the beneficiary under the TRICARE program, and for other purposes.


_______________________________________________________________________


                    IN THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES

                           February 26, 2014

 Mrs. Ellmers introduced the following bill; which was referred to the 
                      Committee on Armed Services

_______________________________________________________________________

                                 A BILL


 
    To amend title 10, United States Code, to ensure that a TRICARE 
beneficiary receives written notice of any change to benefits received 
 by the beneficiary under the TRICARE program, and for other purposes.

    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 ``Timely Information Management 
Enforcement Act'' or the ``TIME Act''.

SEC. 2. PROVISION OF WRITTEN NOTICE OF CHANGE TO TRICARE BENEFITS.

    (a) In General.--Chapter 55 of title 10, United States Code, is 
amended by inserting after section 1097c the following new section:
``Sec. 1097d. TRICARE program: notice of change to benefits
    ``(a) Provision of Notice.--(1) If the Secretary changes any 
benefits provided by the TRICARE program to covered beneficiaries, the 
Secretary shall provide individuals described in paragraph (2) with 
written notice explaining such changes.
    ``(2) The individuals described by this paragraph are covered 
beneficiaries and providers participating in the TRICARE program who 
may be affected by a change covered by a notification under paragraph 
(1).
    ``(3) The Secretary shall provide notice under paragraph (1) 
through both mail and electronic means.
    ``(b) Timing of Notice.--The Secretary shall provide notice under 
paragraph (1) of subsection (a) by the earlier of the following dates:
            ``(1) The date that the Secretary determines would afford 
        individuals described in paragraph (2) of such subsection 
        adequate time to understand and respond to the change covered 
        by the notification.
            ``(2) 90 days before the date on which the change covered 
        by the notification becomes effective.
    ``(c) Delegation.--The Secretary may not delegate the authority 
under this section to any individual who is not an officer or employee 
of the Federal Government.''.
    (b) Clerical Amendment.--The table of sections at the beginning of 
such chapter is amended by inserting after the item relating to section 
1097c the following new item:

``1097d. TRICARE program: notice of change to benefits.''.
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