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155,000 military patients to be pushed into civilian care
Over 155,000 military patients including dependents and retirees are slated to be pushed from military hospitals into the civilian medical system towards the end of the year. According to a new report from the Department of Defense, the move should be completed by the middle of 2026.
29 facilities that were planned to remain active duty military patients only, will treat some military dependents “as appropriate for provider skill sustainment.”
Gil Cisneros, Under Secretary of Defense for Personnel and Readiness, said in a report sent to Congress on the first of this month, that some dependents and retirees may not be pushed out of the military medical system as planned depending based on training needs at certain locations.
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According to the report, the move will “generally transition non-active duty service member primary care to the purchased care component of the Tricare program.” Under the revised plan, the aforementioned 29 facilities will “enroll active duty family members as appropriate.”
The report also said, “The purpose of this program is to increase the readiness of military medical staff by allowing them to be concentrated at medical platforms that have the volume and complexity of medical cases required to maintain medical skills.”
Military medical reforms have been taking place since 2013, when the Pentagon sought to eliminate redundant administrative, IT, logistical, and training programs that existed in the Army, Navy, and Airforce medical commands, by establishing the Defense Health Agency.
Four years later, the Defense Health Agency was given broad authority by Congress to assess the methods by which the Defense department serves non-active duty Tricare beneficiaries such as dependents and veterans.
According to the report, the Department of Defense will kick the plan off in October at the beginning of the 2023 fiscal year. Meanwhile, Congress has 180 days to review the proposed plan.
Greg Murphy, Republican Representative from North Carolina expressed concern over the new plan creating a lower capacity at some facilities to accept new patients. He wrote to Lt. Gen. Ronald Place, Defense Health Agency Director, expressing concern following reports that some military family members have had to wait weeks or months for medical appointments, “including obstetrics care.”
Murphy wrote, “This issue may not be just one that my district is experiencing but may be systemic to all military hospitals due to reforms DHA is leading to cut costs.”
