Summary

Creates a Department of Defense pilot that lets specified service members and their TRICARE-enrolled dependents buy fixed indemnity supplemental insurance to cover cancer-related costs that TRICARE does not pay. The Secretary of Defense must set up the program by September 30, 2026, select up to two licensed insurers to offer plans, post plan information on the TRICARE portal, monitor and collect reports from insurers, and submit a report to the Armed Services Committees within three years after the pilot begins to decide whether to continue the program.

Key Points

• Creates a pilot allowing eligible service members and TRICARE-enrolled dependents to purchase fixed indemnity supplemental insurance for cancer costs TRICARE doesn’t cover.
• Requires the Secretary of Defense to establish the pilot by September 30, 2026, and to select up to two licensed insurers to offer plans.
• Mandates posting plan information on the TRICARE online portal and sets enrollment and reporting rules for insurers and DoD.
• Requires a Department of Defense report to the Armed Services Committees within three years of the pilot’s start and a decision on making the program permanent.
• Preempts conflicting state insurance laws for the pilot plans, with limited statutory exceptions.
• Does not change TRICARE benefit coverage; it authorizes optional private supplemental insurance for covered beneficiaries.
• Limits insurer participation (up to two companies) and includes contractual terms for selection and administration of the pilot.

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