… Providers of mental health services under the TRICARE program will see a 3.4 percent increase in their per diem payment rates in FY04, the Department of Defense announced in a September 29 Federal Register notice - DOD - Brief Article

Healthcare Financial Management, Nov, 2003

"... Providers of mental health services under the TRICARE program will see a 3.4 percent increase in their per diem payment rates in FY04, the Department of Defense (DOD) announced in a September 29 Federal Register notice. Per diem rates under TRICARE are updated by the Medicare update factor for hospitals and units exempt from the Medicare inpatient PPS.

The beneficiary cost-share amount is the lower of $164 par day or 25 percent of the hospital billed charges, and the updated cap amount for hospitals and units with high TRICARE volume is $776 per day. The rate updates became effective October 1, 2003.