GAO: Guardsmen, Reservists need more TRICARE education

National Guard, Nov 2002 by Prawdzik, Chris

Some health care coverage problems for Guardsmen and Reservists could be reduced through better education according to a new General Accounting Office, or GAO, report.

In "Defense Health Care: Most Reservists Have Civilian Health Coverage but More Assistance is Needed When TRICARE is Used," the GAO asked reservists several coverage questions, combining responses with the Pentagon's "2000 Survey of Reserve Component Personnel."

"The GAO study gives us a far better understanding of the widespread health insurance shortfalls within the Guard, especially among the lower ranks," said Sen. Patrick Leahy, D-Vt., who pushed for the report. "But we still need a prescription that's up to the job of meeting this challenge.

"The researchers recommend some halfway measures," he said, "but the results of this study actually point more clearly than ever before to the need to open up the TRICARE program to members of the Guard and Reserve."

Congress became interested in the issue after surveys revealed that 20 percent of part-time National Guardsmen or Reservists-and nearly 40 percent of all E-ls to E-4shave no health care insurance.

The GAO confirmed the reported health care coverage shortfalls among traditional Guardsmen and Reservists. However, it focused its attention on the problems part-time service members experience with the military medical system after mobilization to active duty.

Overall, 38 percent of respondents to a GAO questionnaire reported some TRICARE problems.

Most notable problems occurred when they and their family members dropped civilian insurance and switched to TRICARE. A

Some issues were unavoidable. Currently, about 70 percent of Guardsmen or Reservists live far I from military health-care facilities, so their options are already limited. About 95 percent of activeduty personnel, however, live near these facilities.

About 17 percent said they had trouble establishing eligibility because of things such as inadequate identification for TRICARE benefits.

Problems with the Defense Enrollment Eligibility Reporting System, or DEERS, also caused headaches. Contractors reported that DEERS changes are slow.

The GAO also addressed the financial price of extending health care coverage to traditional reserve component members. It estimated the cost at $10.4 billion over five years.

The Congressional Budget Office, however, estimates the cost for providing health care to only activated Guardsmen and Reservists is $1.8 billion over the same period.

-By Chris Prawdzik