[Congressional Bills 105th Congress] [From the U.S. Government Publishing Office] [H.R. 1246 Introduced in House (IH)] 105th CONGRESS 1st Session H. R. 1246 To prescribe alternative payment mechanisms for the payment of annual enrollment fees for the TRICARE program of the military health care system. _______________________________________________________________________ IN THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES April 8, 1997 Mrs. Mink of Hawaii introduced the following bill; which was referred to the Committee on National Security _______________________________________________________________________ A BILL To prescribe alternative payment mechanisms for the payment of annual enrollment fees for the TRICARE program of the military health care system. Be it enacted by the Senate and House of Representatives of the United States of America in Congress assembled, SECTION 1. PAYMENT MECHANISMS FOR TRICARE ENROLLMENT FEES. (a) Monthly Payment Option.--The Secretary of Defense shall permit persons who enroll in the managed health care program of the uniformed services known as the TRICARE program to pay their annual enrollment fees on a monthly basis. (b) Alternative Payment Mechanisms.--In addition to existing methods by which an enrollee in the TRICARE program may pay enrollment fees, the Secretary of Defense shall establish mechanisms to provide for payment of enrollment fees using-- (1) a deduction from military retired or retainer pay (or equivalent pay), in the case of a member or former member of the uniformed services entitled to such pay who is an enrollee; (2) a deduction from monthly benefits under section 202 or 223 of the Social Security Act (42 U.S.C. 402, 423), in the case of a person entitled to such benefits who is an enrollee; and (3) an electronic funds transfer from a checking or savings account designated by the enrollee. (c) Coordination of Deduction With Other Agencies.--The Secretary of Defense shall enter into an agreement with the Commissioner of Social Security and the Secretary of the Treasury to conduct the deduction mechanism authorized by subsection (b)(2) in the same manner as provided in section 1840(a) of the Social Security Act (42 U.S.C. 1395s(a)) for the monthly deduction of premiums for the medicare program. (d) TRICARE Program Defined.--For purposes of this section, the term ``TRICARE program'' means the managed health care program that is established by the Secretary of Defense under the authority of chapter 55 of title 10, United States Code, principally section 1097 of such title, and includes the competitive selection of contractors to financially underwrite the delivery of health care services under the Civilian Health and Medical Program of the Uniformed Services. <all>