Civilian Health and Medical Program of the Uniformed Services (CHAMPUS); TRICARE Program; reimbursement--DoD. Final rule

This final rule revises certain requirements and procedures for reimbursement under the CHAMPUS program, the purpose of which is to implement a comprehensive managed health care delivery system composed of military medical treatment facilities and CHAMPUS. Issues addressed in this rule include: implementation of changes made to the Medicare Prospective Payment System (PPS) upon which the CHAMPUS DRG-based payment system is modeled and required by law to follow wherever practicable, along with changes to make our DRG-based payment system operate better; clarification of payment reduction for noncompliance with required utilization of publication of list of ambulatory surgery procedures; limitation on ambulatory surgery group payment rates; extension of the balance billing limitations currently in place for individual and professional providers to non-institutional, non-professional providers; adjustment of the CHAMPUS maximum allowable charge (CMAC) rate in the small number of cases where the CMAC rate is less than the Medicare rate; implementation of the government-wide debarment rule where any provider excluded or suspended from CHAMPUS shall be excluded from all other programs and activities involving Federal financial assistance, such as Medicare or Medicaid; elimination of the requirement for non-participating providers to file claims; and revision of the ambulatory surgery cost-share information to enable the cost-share to be assessed against the facility claim instead of the primary surgeon's claim.     

Civilian Health and Medical Program of the Uniformed Services (CHAMPUS); TRICARE prime enrollment procedures--DOD. Proposed rule

This proposed rule modifies the TRICARE Prime enrollment for active duty families by specifying that the enrollment period is continuous rather than a 12 month enrollment period and it allows monthly installment payments of enrollment fees for those beneficiaries required to pay an annual fee in order to enroll in TRICARE Prime. These modifications are being made because TRICARE will soon be available wordwide for active duty family members.     

Civilian Health and Medical Program of the Uniformed Services (CHAMPUS); TRICARE prime balance billing--DoD. Final rule

This final rule establishes financial protections for TRICARE Prime enrollees in limited circumstances when they receive covered services from a non-network provider.     

Civilian Health and Medical Program of the Uniformed Services (CHAMPUS); continued health care benefit program--DoD. Final rule

This final rule establishes a Continued Health Care Benefit Program (CHCBP) for certain DoD and other Uniformed Services health care beneficiaries who lose eligibility for health care in the Military Health Services System (MHSS). It also provides for use of the CHAMPUS benefit structure and CHAMPUS rules and outlines procedures for the CHCBP.     

Civilian Health and Medical Program of the Uniformed Services (CHAMPUS); TRICARE program; reimbursement--DoD. Proposed rule

This rule proposes to revise certain requirements and procedures for reimbursement under the TRICARE program, the purpose of which is to implement a comprehensive managed health care delivery system composed of military medical treatment facilities and CHAMPUS. Issues addressed in this proposed rule include: implementation of changes made to the Medicare Prospective Payment System (PPS) upon which the CHAMPUS DRG-based payment system is modeled and required by law to follow wherever practicable, along with changes to make our DRG-based payment system operate better; extension of the balance billing limitations currently in place for individual and professional providers to non-institutional, non-professional providers; adjusting the CHAMPUS maximum allowable charge (CMAC) rate in the small number of cases where the CMAC rate is less than the Medicare rate; and implementing the government-wide debarment rule where any provider excluded or suspended from CHAMPUS shall be excluded from all other programs and activities involving Federal financial assistance, such as Medicare or Medicaid, and adding violations of our balance billing or claims filing requirements to the list of provider actions considered violations of the TRICARE/CHAMPUS program.     

Civilian Health and Medical Program of the Uniformed Services (CHAMPUS); continued health care benefit program--DoD. Interim rule

This rule establishes a Continued Health Care Benefit Program (CHCBP) for certain DoD health care beneficiaries who lose eligibility for health care in the Military Health Services System (MHSS). It provides for use of the CHAMPUS benefit structure and CHAMPUS rules and procedures for the CHCBP and seeks public comments on our plan to implement the Continued Health Care Benefit Program.     

Civilian Health and Medical Program of the Uniformed Services (CHAMPUS); TRICARE Selected Reserve Dental Program--DoD. Final rule

This final rule establishes the TRICARE Selected Reserve Dental Program (TSRDP) to provide dental care to members of the Selected Reserves of the Ready Reserve. The final rule details operation of the program.     

Civilian Health and Medical Program of the Uniformed Services (CHAMPUS); TRICARE Retiree Dental Program (TRDP)--DoD. Final rule

This final rule establishes the TRICARE Retiree Dental Program (TRDP), a premium based indemnity dental insurance coverage program, that will be available to retired members of the Uniformed Services, their dependents, and certain other beneficiaries.     

Civilian Health and Medical Program of the Uniformed Services (CHAMPUS); TRICARE prime balance billing--DOD. Interim final rule

This interim final rule establishes financial protections for TRICARE Prime enrollees in limited circumstances when they receive covered services from a non-network provider. This rule is being published to provide protection for TRICARE Prime enrollees.     

Civilian Health and Medical Program of the Uniformed Services (CHAMPUS); TRICARE program; nonavailability statement requirements--DoD. Final rule

This final rule revises certain requirements and procedures for the TRICARE Program, the purpose of which is to implement a comprehensive managed health care delivery system composed of military medical treatment facilities and CHAMPUS. Issues addressed in this rule include priority for access to care in military treatment facilities and requirements for payment of enrollment fees. This rule also includes provisions revising the requirement that certain beneficiaries obtain a non-availability statement from a military treatment facility commander prior to receiving certain health care services from civilian providers.     

Civilian Health and Medical Program of the Uniformed Services (CHAMPUS); TRICARE Young Adult. Interim final rule with comment period

This interim final rule implements Section 702 of the Ike Skelton National Defense Authorization Act for Fiscal Year 2011 (NDAA for FY11). It establishes the TRICARE Young Adult (TYA) program to provide an extended medical coverage opportunity to most unmarried children under the age of 26 of uniformed services sponsors. The TRICARE Young Adult program is a premium-based program.     

Civilian Health and Medical Program of the Uniformed Services (CHAMPUS); program for persons with disabilities; basic program--DoD. Final rule

This final rule simplifies the administration of benefits under the CHAMPUS Program for the Handicapped (PFTH) and changes the name of this benefit to Program for Persons with Disabilities (PFPWD); adds occupational therapists in independent practice to the list of authorized individual professional providers; provides criteria for cost-sharing certain procedures when data is transferred electronically from the patient's home to a medical practitioner; defines and limits plans recognized as supplemental insurance under CHAMPUS; and adopts the Federal Claims Collection Act and the Federal Claims Collection Standards by reference.     

Civilian Health and Medical Program of the Uniformed Services (CHAMPUS); TRICARE Dental Program. Office of the Secretary, DoD. Final rule

This final rule revises the comprehensive CHAMPUS regulation pertaining to the Expanded Active Duty Dependents Benefit Plan, or more commonly referred to as the TRICARE Family Member Dental Plan (TFMDP). The TFMDP limited eligibility to eligible dependents of active duty members (under a call or order that does not specify a period of thirty (30) day or less). Concurrent with the timeframe of the publication of the proposed rule, the Defense Authorization Act for Fiscal Year 2000 (Public Law 106-65, sec. 711) was signed into law and its provisions have been incorporated into this final rule. The Act authorized a new plan, titled the TRICARE dental program (TDP), which allows the Secretary of Defense to offer a comprehensive premium based indemnity dental insurance coverage plan to eligible dependents of active duty members (under a call or order that does not specify a period of thirty (30) days or less), eligible dependents of members of the Selected Reserve and Individual Ready Reserve, and eligible members of the Selected Reserve and Individual Ready Reserve. The Act also struck section 1076b (Selected Reserve dental insurance), or Chapter 55 of title 10, United States Code, since the affected population and the authority for that particular dental insurance plan has been incorporated in 10 U.S.C. 1076a. Consistent with the proposed rule and the provisions of the Defense Authorization Act for Fiscal Year 2000, the final rule places the responsibility for TDP enrollment and a large portion of the appeals program on the dental plan contractor; allows the dental plan contractor to bill beneficiaries for plan premiums in certain circumstances; reduces the former TFMDP enrollment period from twenty-four (24) to twelve (12) months; excludes Reserve component members ordered to active duty in support of a contingency operation from the mandatory twelve (12) month enrollment; clarifies dental plan requirements for different beneficiary populations; simplifies enrollment types and exceptions; reduces cost-shares for certain enlisted grades; adds anesthesia as a covered benefit; provides clarification on the Department's use of the Congressional waiver for surviving dependents; incorporates legislative authority for calculating the method by which premiums may be raised and allowing premium reductions for certain enlisted grades; and reduces administrative burden by reducing redundant language, referencing language appearing in other CFR sections and removing language more appropriate to the actual contract. These improvements will provide Uniformed Service members and families with numerous quality of life benefits that will improve participation in the plan, significantly reduce enrollment errors and positively effect utilization of this important dental plan. The proposed rule was titled the "TRICARE Family Member Dental Plan".     

Civilian Health and Medical Program of the Uniformed Services (CHAMPUS); TRICARE Dental Program. Office of the Secretary, DoD. Final rule

On October 23, 2000 (65 FR 63202), the Department of Defense published a final rule on TRICARE Family Member Dental Plan. The rule had an effective date that began during the Presidential Moratium on Rules, therefore, this rule is republished to change the effective date to April 1, 2001. This rule is published exactly as previously published. No changes have been made. It revises the comprehensive CHAMPUS regulation pertaining to the Expanded Active Duty Dependents Benefit Plan, or more commonly referred to as the TRICARE Family Member Dental Plan (TFMDP). The TFMDP limited eligibility to eligible dependents of active duty members (under a call or order that does not specify a period of thirty (30) day or less). Concurrent with the timeframe of the publication of the proposed rule, the Defense Authorization Act for Fiscal Year 2000 (Pub. L. 106-65, sec. 711) was signed into law and its provisions have been incorporated into this final rule. The Act authorized a new plan, titled the TRICARE dental program (TDP), which allows the Secretary of Defense to offer a comprehensive premium based indemnity dental insurance coverage plan to eligible dependents of active duty members (under a call or order that does not specify a period of thirty (30) days or less), eligible dependents of members of the Selected Reserve and Individual Ready Reserve, and eligible members of the Selected Reserve and Individual Ready Reserve. The Act also struck section 1076b (Selected Reserve dental insurance), or Chapter 55 of title 10, United States Code, since the affected population and the authority for that particular dental insurance plan has been incorporated in 10 U.S.C. 1076a. Consistent with the proposed rule and the provisions of the Defense Authorization Act for Fiscal Year 2000, the final rule places the responsibility for TDP enrollment and a large portion of the appeals program on the dental plan contractor; allows the dental plan contractor to bill beneficiaries for plan premiums in certain circumstances; reduces the former TFMDP enrollment period from twenty-four (24) to twelve (12) months; excludes Reserve component members ordered to active duty in support of a contingency operation from the mandatory twelve (12) month enrollment; clarifies dental plan requirements for different beneficiary populations; simplifies enrollment types and exceptions; reduces cost-shares for certain enlisted grades; adds anesthesia as a covered benefit; provides clarification on the Department-s use of the Congressional waiver for surviving dependents; incorporates legislative authority for calculating the method by which premiums may be raised and allowing premium reductions for certain enlisted grades; and reduces administrative burden by reducing redundant language, referencing language appearing in other CFR sections and removing language more appropriate to the actual contract. These improvements will provide Uniformed Service members and families with numerous quality of life benefits that will improve participation in the plan, significantly reduce enrollment errors and positively effect utilization of this important dental plan. The proposed rule was titled the --TRICARE Family Member Dental Plan.     

Civilian Health and Medical Program of the Uniformed Services (CHAMPUS)--DoD. Notice of revised rates

This notice provides the updated adjusted standardized amounts, DRG relative weights, outlier thresholds, and beneficiary cost-share per diem rates to be used for FY 1993 under the CHAMPUS DRG-based payment system. It also describes the non-regulatory changes made to the CHAMPUS DRG-based payment system in order to conform to changes made to the Medicare Prospective Payment System (PPS).     

Civilian Health and Medical Program of the Uniformed Services (CHAMPUS); partial hospitalization--DoD. Final rule

This final rule establishes a CHAMPUS benefit for partial hospitalization and makes corrections and clarifications on other mental health issues resulting from implementation of recent legislative changes. The partial hospitalization benefit is being added at the request of Congress to improve the availability of mental health services under CHAMPUS. The intent is to provide a needed service at a lower cost than the full hospitalization rate, and allow more efficient use of resources for needed mental health care. Facilities must be certified and enter into a participation agreement with CHAMPUS and obtain the required preauthorization prior to admitting CHAMPUS patients. Applications for facility approval may be obtained from the Director, OCHAMPUS, or a designee.     

Civilian Health and Medical Program of the Uniformed Services (CHAMPUS); establishment of national differentials for children's hospitals--DoD. Notice

The Office of the Civilian Health and Medical Program of the Uniformed Services (OCHAMPUS) is announcing the national differential rates for children's hospitals which go into effect April 1, 1995. This notice is issued as required in 32 CFR 199.14 in which OCHAMPUS announced that a notice would be published setting forth the national differential and eliminating the hospital-specific differentials.     

TRICARE; Civilian Health and Medical Program of the Uniformed Services (CHAMPUS); bonus payments in medically underserved areas. Final rule

This final rule implements a bonus payment, in addition to the amount normally paid under the allowable charge methodology, to physicians in medically underserved areas. For purposes of this rule, medically underserved areas are the same as those determined by the Secretary of Health and Human Services for the Medicare program. Such bonus payments shall be equal to the bonus payments authorized by Medicare, except as necessary to recognize any unique or distinct characteristics or requirements of the TRICARE program, and as described in instructions issued by the Executive Director, TRICARE Management Activity. This rule promotes a reimbursement enhancement to a limited number of physicians designed to increase TRICARE beneficiary access to care.