TRICARE and VA Health Care: Impact of the Patient Protection and Affordable Care Act (P.L. 111-148)

The 111th Congress recently passed, and the President signed into law, the Patient Protection and Affordable Care Act P.L. 111-148 PPACA, as amended by the Health Care and Education Reconciliation Act of 2010 P.L. 111-152 HCERA. In general, PPACA did not make any significant changes to the Department of Defense DOD TRICARE program or to the Department of Veterans Affairs VA health care system. However, many have sought clarification as to whether certain provisions in PPACA, such as a mandate for most individuals to have health insurance, or extending dependant coverage up to age 26, would apply to TRICARE and VA health care beneficiaries. To address some of these concerns, Congress has introduced andor enacted legislation. The TRICARE Affirmation Act H.R. 4887, passed by both the House and the Senate and received by the President, would affirm that TRICARE satisfies the minimum acceptable coverage requirement in PPACA. Similarly S. 3162 passed by the Senate on March 26, 2010 and H.R. 5014 introduced in the House on April 14, 2010 would, if enacted, clarify that the Civilian Health and Medical Program of the Department of Veterans Affairs CHAMPVA, Spina Bifida Health Care Program, and the Children of Women Vietnam Veterans Health Care Program meet the minimum essential coverage requirement under PPACA. In addition, the TRICARE Dependent Coverage Extension Act H.R. 4923 S. 3201, if enacted, would extend certain PPACA provisions to TRICARE beneficiaries. This report addresses key questions concerning how PPACA will likely affect TRICARE and VA health care. This report will be updated if events warrant.