[Federal Register Volume 83, Number 197 (Thursday, October 11, 2018)]
[Notices]
[Pages 51450-51451]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 2018-22184]
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DEPARTMENT OF DEFENSE
Office of the Secretary
Notice of Two-Year Extension of TRICARE Co-Pay Waiver at Captain
James A. Lovell Federal Health Care Center Demonstration Project
AGENCY: Office of the Secretary, Department of Defense.
ACTION: Notice of two-year extension of TRICARE co-pay waiver at
Captain James A. Lovell Federal Health Care Center demonstration
project.
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SUMMARY: This notice is to advise interested parties of a two-year
extension of a demonstration project entitled ``TRICARE Co-Pay Waiver
at Captain James A. Lovell Federal Health Care Center (FHCC)
Demonstration Project.'' The original waiver notice was published on
September 27, 2010.
DATES: This two-year extension is effective from October 1, 2018 to
September 30, 2020.
FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: Mr. Michael Bouchard, Director, DoD/VA
Program Coordination Office, Defense Health Agency, Telephone 703-275-
6300.
SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION:
A. Background
For additional information on the TRICARE co-pay waiver
demonstration at the Captain James A. Lovell Federal Health Care Center
(FHCC) demonstration project, please see 75 FR 59237-59238. Under this
demonstration, there would be no deductibles, cost shares, or co-pays
for eligible beneficiaries seeking care at the FHCC, under the
authority of 10 U.S.C. 1092(a)(1)(B). The original demonstration notice
explained that the co-pay waiver demonstration would be used to
determine if increased utilization at FHCC actually occurred as a
result of eliminated co-payments, which would in turn influence
decisions regarding financial integration at future Department of
Defense (DoD)/Department of Veterans Affairs (VA) models of this
nature. A report on the demonstration project concluded that
utilization increased at FHCC during the time of the co-pay waiver
demonstration project. Admission and encounter utilization data from
2010 to 2014 shows that DoD utilization of FHCC increased
significantly. This demonstration is integral to the success of the
integration effort at FHCC; without it, FHCC would see a marked
reduction in DoD beneficiaries.
B. Description of Extension of Demonstration Project
Under this demonstration, DoD has waived TRICARE co-payments for
DoD beneficiaries seen at the FHCC. The National Defense Authorization
Act (NDAA) for fiscal year (FY) 2010 Section 1701 requires a report to
Congress evaluating the exercise of authorities in that title at FHCC.
That report was delivered on July 26, 2016, and recommends continuation
of the FHCC demonstration project. Therefore, DoD submitted a
legislative proposal to amend section 1705 of NDAA 2010 to clarify
language that access to care under section 1705 should apply to the
entire joint facility and not limited to the DoD assets within the
facility. If approved, this amendment would be a permanent solution
that will negate the requirement for further extensions to the TRICARE
co-pay waiver demonstration project.
In order to allow seamless continuation of services to DoD
beneficiaries at FHCC, the TRICARE co-pay waiver is also extended
through September 30, 2020 to align with modification of language to FY
2010
[[Page 51451]]
NDAA made in FY 2019 NDAA. This waiver applies to all inpatient,
outpatient, and ancillary services, and all outpatient prescription
drugs provided at FHCC. This waiver is consistent with current policies
and procedures followed at all military treatment facilities. According
to an Independent Government Cost Estimate (IGCE), the estimated two-
year impact for the co-pay waiver in FY2019 and FY2020 is $305,985.
C. Evaluation
An independent evaluation was performed and determined that without
this waiver, DoD beneficiary utilization of the FHCC in North Chicago
would have significantly decreased. Since DoD and VA have recommended
to Congress to continue the demonstration project, DoD will continue to
pursue a permanent solution regarding DoD beneficiary co-pays that will
ensure DoD beneficiaries are not levied cost shares, as FHCC represents
the former Naval Hospital Great Lakes.
Dated: October 5, 2018.
Aaron T. Siegel,
Alternate OSD Federal Register Liaison Officer, Department of Defense.
[FR Doc. 2018-22184 Filed 10-10-18; 8:45 am]
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