If you’ve followed our updates, you’ve seen that APA has remained consistent in its advocacy on issues relating to TRICARE, the healthcare program provided by the Department of Defense (DoD) to military personnel and their families. Last year brought large cuts to many psychologists’ reimbursements from TRICARE via the two contractors, Humana and HealthNet. APA immediately surveyed our practicing members and then met with DoD’s TRICARE oversight staff to lay out concerns about network adequacy, reimbursement rate cuts, lack of communication from contractors and possible coverage gaps for military families in need. We were successful in securing bipartisan, bicameral letters from members of Congress to DoD’s Defense Health Agency head about these issues, and the Hawaii congressional delegation secured language in the defense bill mandating a report from the Government Accountability Office on TRICARE and mental health (due in 2019).
A new year and a new Congress provide opportunities for even more advocacy to protect military mental healthcare and support the psychologists serving those who serve. How can you be involved, both to stay informed and to inform our advocacy? I invite you to email me.
- If you are a TRICARE provider, what issues do you currently face (e.g. reimbursement, scheduling, working with the contractor)?
- If you are not a TRICARE provider, what would it take to make joining the network more appealing?
- Have you taken free online or in-person trainings on working with military-connected clients? Would you like to?
- Is your state psychological association involved in TRICARE advocacy efforts?
Our staff advocacy team has already begun to work with congressional staff to draft language related to TRICARE, particularly the reimbursement issue, for inclusion in legislation this year. We will stay in touch to ensure that our legislative requests represent your concerns and recommendations in order to better serve military families.
Serving Those Who Serve is a monthly column providing regular updates on issues impacting psychologists and the military patients they treat. Topics in this column range from protecting the VA’s integrated care system, to advocating for more attention to military sexual assault prevention, to encouraging more systematic training on evidence-based treatments.