S. 2239: Improving Access to Prenatal Care for Military Families Act

The "Improving Access to Prenatal Care for Military Families Act" is designed to improve access to prenatal care for military families by establishing a pilot program that recognizes pregnancy as a qualifying event for enrollment in TRICARE Select, which is the health care program for military personnel, retirees, and their dependents.

Key Provisions

• Establishment of a Pilot Program: The Secretary of Defense is required to initiate a five-year pilot program within 180 days after the act is enacted, which will treat pregnancy as a qualifying event under current laws for enrollment in TRICARE Select.
• Initial Briefing: One year after the pilot program begins, the Secretary must provide a status report to the relevant congressional committees, outlining the program's progress.
• Annual Reports: Following the initial report, the Secretary must submit annual reports for the next four years. These reports should detail the number of enrollment changes due to pregnancy and categorize these changes based on various factors, such as whether the beneficiary is a service member or dependent who has separated or returned to active duty.

Definitions

Key terms in this act are defined as follows:

• Active Duty: Refers to full-time duty in the active military service.
• Eligible Beneficiary: An individual who qualifies for enrollment in TRICARE Select based on established criteria.
• Covered Enrollment Change: A change in health care plan enrollment due to the qualifying event of pregnancy.
• Uniformed Services: Refers to the services that include the Army, Navy, Air Force, Marine Corps, and Coast Guard.

The implementation of this pilot program aims to provide better prenatal care for military families by allowing pregnant service members and their dependents to enroll in TRICARE Select during pregnancy, instead of being restricted by the usual enrollment periods.

Relevant Companies

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