TRICARE Equality Act

This bill aims to make TRICARE work in Puerto Rico more like it does in the states. It requires the Defense Department to offer TRICARE Prime in Puerto Rico using the same kind of service areas used on the mainland, so families there have similar plan options. It also opens up travel reimbursements for medical care so people in Puerto Rico can qualify when they would have qualified if they lived in a state. The bill directs federal and Puerto Rico health officials to share patient health information through the Joint Health Information Exchange, to help doctors access records quickly and safely. The Defense Department must report to Congress on its progress within 180 days after the bill becomes law .

Key points

• Who is affected: TRICARE-eligible service members, retirees, and families in Puerto Rico.
• What changes: TRICARE Prime areas must be set up like in the states; travel benefits for medical care are expanded; federal and Puerto Rico systems must share health records through a common exchange; a progress report is required within 180 days of enactment .
• When: The report is due 180 days after the law takes effect; other changes take effect as the Defense Department implements them under the act.