Rounds Introduces Legislation to Streamline Tricare for Service Members and Military Retirees
WASHINGTON—U.S. Senator Mike Rounds (R-S.D.), a member of the Senate Armed Services and Veterans’ Affairs Committees, today introduced legislation to streamline the process for service members and military retirees enrolled in Tricare health plans when they move from one Tricare region to another. The current system for transferring Tricare beneficiaries is often ineffective, resulting in unnecessary delays.
“For our service members and military retirees, who have given so much while serving our country, making simple changes to streamline transfer of their health care is the least we can do,” said Rounds. “Often times, jobs within the military require our service members to move to different parts of the nation. Relocating - which includes saying goodbye to coworkers, packing one’s belongings and adapting to a new job - can be daunting enough for service members and military families. They shouldn’t have to worry about their access to health care benefits on top of everything else. My legislation seeks to simplify the transfer process and give our military families the health care certainty they deserve.”
Rounds’ legislation makes changes to the Tricare program within the Department of Defense so beneficiaries can seamlessly access health care in each region through:
- Enacting automatic electronic transfer of enrollment information; and
- Facilitating beneficiaries’ ability to obtain a new primary care provider within 10 days of moving to a new region.
