SEC. 752.: Enhanced medical coverage for civilian employees of the Department of Defense and dependents in certain locations — Division A

Section Text · Sec. 752.

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(a) Enhanced medical coverage

Section 1599b of title 10, United States Code, is amended—

(1)

by redesignating subsection (e) as subsection (f); and

(2)

by inserting after subsection (d) the following new subsection:

(e) Enhanced medical coverage

(1)

Not later than July 1, 2027, the Secretary of Defense shall seek to enter into a contract to provide each covered individual in a location specified in paragraph (2) with enhanced medical coverage for services that are not covered by the health care plan for which the covered individual is enrolled under the Federal Employees Health Benefits Plan.

(2)

The locations specified in this paragraph are the following:

(A)

Japan.

(B)

Guam.

(C)

Any location the Secretary determines appropriate under a mitigation plan carried out under paragraph (5)(C).

(3)

(A)

With respect to covered individuals living in Japan, the Secretary shall ensure that the enhanced medical coverage under subsection (a) includes the following:

(i)

Assistance in finding health care providers with the capacity to meet the health care needs of the individuals.

(ii)

Language translation services to assist in accessing health care.

(iii)

Assistance in making prepayments for health care services if such prepayments are required by the health care provider.

(iv)

Any other supplemental services the Secretary determines appropriate.

(B)

With respect to covered individuals living in Guam, the Secretary shall ensure that the enhanced medical coverage under subsection (a) includes the following:

(i)

Assistance in finding health care providers with the capacity to meet the health care needs of the individuals.

(ii)

Medical evacuation coverage if needed health care services are not available on Guam or are only available in a facility that is not accredited.

(iii)

Any other supplemental services the Secretary determines appropriate.

(4)

(A)

On an annual basis, the Secretary shall conduct a review of the availability of health care services for civilian employees of the Department of Defense employed in a position outside the continental United States and accompanying dependents of such employees. Each review shall assess the availability of the following:

(i)

Ambulatory patient services, including outpatient surgery.

(ii)

Emergency services.

(iii)

Inpatient care, including trauma care and intensive care.

(iv)

Maternity and newborn care, including neonatal intensive care.

(v)

Mental health and substance use disorder services.

(vi)

Rehabilitative and habilitative services.

(vii)

Laboratory services.

(viii)

Preventive services.

(ix)

Pediatric services.

(B)

If the Secretary determines in a review under subparagraph (A) that health care services specified in such subparagraph are not available, or do not meet the standards of care for such services provided in the United States, with respect to a specific State, territory or possession of the United States, or foreign country, the Secretary shall—

(i)

carry out a mitigation plan under subparagraph (C); and

(ii)

notify each civilian employee of the Department employed in a position at such location, and any applicant for such a position, of the determination and mitigation plan.

(C)

With respect to each location covered by a determination under subparagraph (B), the Secretary shall carry out a mitigation plan under which the Secretary may—

(i)

include such location in the enhanced medical coverage made available under paragraph (1), including with respect to assistance in finding health care providers, providing medical travel benefits, and medical evacuation coverage;

(ii)

designate civilian positions at such location as being unaccompanied; or

(iii)

take such other actions as the Secretary determines appropriate to increase access to health care for civilian employees of the Department employed in a position at such location and accompanying dependents of such employees.

(5)

Not later than February 1, 2028, and annually thereafter, the Secretary shall submit to the congressional defense committees a report on—

(A)

the findings of each review under subparagraph (A) of paragraph (5); and

(B)

a summary of each mitigation plan carried out by the Secretary under subparagraph (C) of such paragraph.

(6)

In this subsection:

(A)

The term covered individual means an individual who is—

(i)

a civilian employee of the Department of Defense employed in a position at a location specified in paragraph (2) or an accompanying dependent of such an employee; and

(ii)

enrolled in a health care plan under the Federal Employees Health Benefits Plan.

(B)

The term Federal Employees Health Benefits Plan means the health insurance program under chapter 89 of title 5.

(b) Current pilot program

The contract awarded by the Secretary of Defense to carry out the pilot program titled Pilot Health Insurance Enhancement for Department of Defense Civilian Employees in Japan may continue without interruption, and with the necessary modifications, in implementing subsection (e) of section 1599b of title 10, United States Code, as added by subsection (a).

(c) Conforming amendment

Subsection (f) of section 1599b of title 10, United States Code, as redesignated by subsection (a)(1), is amended by striking In this section inserting Except as provided by subsection (e), in this section .