[Congressional Record Volume 163, Number 118 (Thursday, July 13, 2017)]
[Senate]
[Page S4002]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]

  SA 258. Mr. ROUNDS submitted an amendment intended to be proposed by 
him to the bill S. 1519, to authorize appropriations for fiscal year 
2018 for military activities of the Department of Defense, for military 
construction, and for defense activities of the Department of Energy, 
to prescribe military personnel strengths for such fiscal year, and for 
other purposes; which was ordered to lie on the table; as follows:

       At the end of subtitle A of title VII, add the following:

     SEC. 710. EXCEPTION TO INCREASE IN COST-SHARING REQUIREMENTS 
                   FOR TRICARE PHARMACY BENEFITS PROGRAM FOR 
                   BENEFICIARIES WHO LIVE MORE THAN 40 MILES FROM 
                   A MILITARY TREATMENT FACILITY.

       (a) In General.--Notwithstanding paragraph (6) of section 
     1074g(a) of title 10, United States Code, as amended by 
     section 706(a), the Secretary of Defense may not increase 
     after the date of the enactment of this Act any cost-sharing 
     amounts under such paragraph with respect to covered 
     beneficiaries described in subsection (b).
       (b) Covered Beneficiaries Described.--Covered beneficiaries 
     described in this subsection are eligible covered 
     beneficiaries (as defined in section 1074g(g) of title 10, 
     United States Code) who live more than 40 miles driving 
     distance from the closest military treatment facility to the 
     residence of the beneficiary.
       (c) Report on Effect of Increase.--
       (1) In general.--Not later than 60 days after the date of 
     the enactment of this Act, the Secretary of Defense shall 
     submit to the Committees on Armed Services of the Senate and 
     the House of Representatives a report on the potential 
     effect, without regard to subsection (a), of the increase in 
     cost-sharing amounts under section 1074g(a)(6) of title 10, 
     United States Code, on covered beneficiaries described in 
     subsection (b).
       (2) Elements.--The report required by paragraph (1) shall 
     include an assessment of how much additional costs would be 
     required of covered beneficiaries described in subsection (b) 
     per year as a result of increases in cost-sharing amounts 
     described in such paragraph, including the average amount per 
     individual and the aggregate amount.

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