[Federal Register Volume 64, Number 100 (Tuesday, May 25, 1999)]
[Notices]
[Pages 28162-28163]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 99-13113]


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DEPARTMENT OF DEFENSE

Office of the Secretary


Civilian Health and Medical Program of the Uniformed Services 
(CHAMPUS); Implementation of Eligibility Requirements in the National 
Defense Authorization Act for FY 1999 (Pub. L. 105-261)

AGENCY: Office of the Secretary, DoD.

ACTION: Notice of Extended TRICARE/CHAMPUS Eligibility for Certain 
Individuals.

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SUMMARY: This notice provides the period of extended TRICARE/CHAMPUS 
eligibility for certain individuals who are entitled to Medicare but 
who have not purchased Part B of Medicare.

EFFECTIVE DATE: The provisions of this notice are effective October 1, 
1998.

ADDRESSES: TRICARE Management Activity (TMA), Medical Benefits and 
Reimbursement Systems, Aurora, CO 80011-9043.

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: Stephen E. Isaacson, Medical Benefits 
and Reimbursement Systems, TMA, telephone (303) 676-3572.

SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: Normally, when an individual becomes 
entitled to Medicare, he/she loses eligibility for TRICARE/CHAMPUS. 
Individuals who are entitled to Medicare due to disability or end-stage 
renal disease (ESRD) can continue their TRICARE/CHAMPUS eligibility if 
they: (1) Are under 65 years of age; and (2) are enrolled in Part B of 
Medicare. A number of individuals have not been aware of the 
requirement to enroll in Part B of Medicare and did not enroll. As a 
result, they ordinarily would not have been eligible for TRICARE/
CHAMPUS. These individuals have been notified of this requirement by 
the Department of Defense, but in order to ensure TRICARE/CHAMPUS 
coverage until Medicare Part B coverage takes effect, TRICARE/CHAMPUS 
eligibility has been extended. The Emergency Supplemental 
Appropriations Act for FY 1998 (Pub. L. 105-174) extended TRICARE/
CHAMPUS eligibility for health services provided from May 1, 1998, 
through September 30, 1998, For those beneficiaries who enrolled in 
Medicare Part B prior to March 31, 1998, TRICARE/CHAMPUS eligibility 
was extended to July 1, 1998. Section 704 of the National Defense 
Authorization Act for FY 1999 (Pub. L. 105-261) further extended 
TRICARE/CHAMPUS eligibility for those individuals not enrolled in 
Medicare Part B for health services provided until July 1, 1999.
    We also want to reiterate previously published provisions regarding 
recoupment of erroneous payments to these beneficiaries, since it is 
closely related to these provisions. These recoupment provisions 
provide relief to beneficiaries who have received erroneous payments 
but who were not eligible for TRICARE/CHAMPUS under either Pub. L. 105-
174 or Pub. L. 105-261. On May 20, 1998, we published a final rule (63 
FR 27677) implementing Section 743 of the National Defense 
Authorization Act for FY 1996 (Pub. L. 104-106) that waives the 
collection of certain erroneous TRICARE/CHAMPUS payments made to these 
individuals. Specifically, it waives collection of TRICARE/CHAMPUS 
payments made to individuals entitled to Medicare due to disability or 
ESRD but who have not purchased Medicare Part B. This waiver authority 
was effective February 10, 1996, and covers the period beginning 
January 1, 1967, and ends on the later of July 1, 1996, or the 
termination date of any special Medicare enrollment period established 
by law for such individuals. We refer the reader to the above-cited 
Federal Register for more information regarding this provision.


[[Page 28163]]


    Dated: May 19, 1999.
L.M. Bynum,
Alternate OSD Federal Register Liaison Officer, Department of Defense.
[FR Doc. 99-13113 Filed 5-24-99; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 5001-10-M