,i #aafth ,,congress #ast ,session ,h4 ,r4 #diid ,,in ,,the ,,house ,,of ,,representatives ,november #h1 #bjai,ms4 ,gabbard introduced the following bill2 which was referred to the ,committee on ,armed ,services ,a ,,bill ,to direct the ,secretary of ,defense to conduct a study on reimbursement rates for mental health care providers under the ,,tricare program4 #a4 ,short title ,this ,act may be cited as the ,,tricare ,payment ,and ,reimbursement ,study ,act or the ,,tricare ,,par ,study ,act4 #b4 ,study on reimbursement rates for mental health care providers under ,,tricare ,prime and ,,tricare ,select in the ,east and ,west regions of the ,,tricare program 7a7 ,study ,the ,secretary of ,defense shall conduct a study assessing the impact of using established rates to reimburse covered mental health care providers on the availability of such providers4 7b7 ,elements ,the study under subsection 7a7 shall include the following3 7#a7 ,an evaluation of-- 7,a7 whether there are enough covered mental health care providers to adequately serve the beneficiaries under ,,tricare ,prime and the beneficiaries under ,,tricare ,select of each locality in the ,east and ,west regions of the ,,tricare program1 including in rural communities in such regions2 and 7,b7 whether the requirements under sections #ajgi7;h77#a7 and #ajig;b of title #aj1 ,united ,states ,code1 to use established rates to reimburse covered mental health care providers limits the number of covered health care providers serving each locality in the ,east and ,west regions of the ,,tricare program1 including in rural communities in such regions4 7#b7 ,an assessment of the impact of using established rates to reimburse covered mental health care providers on-- 7,a7 the ability of beneficiaries under ,,tricare ,prime and beneficiaries under ,,tricare ,select to access appropriate and timely mental health care in accordance with section #aii4ag of title #cb1 ,code of ,federal ,regulations2 and 7,b7 the availability of services provided by mental health care providers that are needed by members of the ,armed ,forces to be medically ready4 7#c7 ,information about instances in which the ,secretary provided or applied exceptions to established rates pursuant to section #ajgi7;h77#b7 of title #aj1 ,united ,states ,code1 to increase the number of covered mental health care providers4 7#d7 ,a description of how the ,secretary solicits and collects feedback from covered mental health care providers on established rates4 7#e7 ,a list of actions the ,secretary has taken to address such feedback4 7#f7 ,any legislative1 regulatory1 or policy recommendations that are necessary to improve the overall medical readiness of the ,armed ,forces4 7c7 ,report ,not later than one year after the date of the enactment of this ,act1 the ,secretary shall submit to the ,committee on ,armed ,services of the ,house of ,representatives and the ,committee on ,armed ,services of the ,senate a report on the results of the study required under subsection 7a74 7d7 ,briefing ,not later than #fj days after the date on which the report required under subsection 7c7 is submitted to the ,committee on ,armed ,services of the ,house of ,representatives and the ,committee on ,armed ,services of the ,senate1 the ,secretary shall provide a briefing to such committees on the results of the study required under subsection 7a74 7e7 ,comptroller general review and report ,not later than #ahj days after the date on which the report under subsection 7c7 is submitted to the ,committee on ,armed ,services of the ,house of ,representatives and the ,committee on ,armed ,services of the ,senate1 the ,comptroller ,general of the ,united ,states shall-- 7#a7 review the report required under subsection 7c72 and 7#b7 submit to the ,committee on ,armed ,services of the ,house of ,representatives and the ,committee on ,armed ,services of the ,senate an assessment of-- 7,a7 whether the results of the study required under subsection 7a7 are supported by the data and information examined in the study required under subsection 7a72 and 7,b7 the feasibility of any recommendations identified by the ,secretary under subsection 7b77#f74 7f7 ,definitions ,in this section3 7#a7 ,the term established rate means the payment amount determined by the ,secretary pursuant to sections #ajgi7;h77#a7 and #ajig;b of title #aj1 ,united ,states ,code1 and section #aii4ad of title #cb1 ,code of ,federal ,regulations4 7#b7 ,the term covered mental health care provider means a mental health care provider under ,,tricare ,prime and ,,tricare ,select in the ,east and ,west regions of the ,,tricare program4 7#c7 ,the term mental health care provider means a psychiatrist1 clinical psychologist1 certified psychiatric nurse specialist1 certified clinical social worker1 certified marriage and family therapist1 ,,tricare certified mental health counselor1 pastoral counselor under the supervision of a physician1 and supervised mental health counselor under the supervision of a physician4 7#d7 ,the term locality means a geographic location-- 7,a7 designated as a ,prime ,service ,area under section #aii4ag7;b77#a7 of title #cb1 ,code of ,federal ,regulations2 and 7,b7 in which the ,secretary entered into a contract under chapter #ee of title #aj1 ,united ,states ,code1 with a contractor under the ,,tricare program to provide health care services to beneficiaries by ,,tricare-authorized civilian health care providers4 7#e7 ,the terms ,,tricare ,prime and ,,tricare ,select have the meanings given those terms in section #ajgb of title #aj1 ,united ,states ,code4