Evaluating medicare subvention in the military healthcare system

Abstract

The primary research question addressed in this thesis was: "How will the Military Health System and Medicare benefit from Medicare Subvention?" The research described the health care legislation affecting the demonstration project, titled Tricare Senior Prime. Tricare Senior Prime seeks to provide better health care services for dual-eligible military retirees without shifting costs to the DoD or Medicare. While Tricare Senior Prime adds to the health care options of dual-eligible military retirees it also adds administrative complexities to Tricare. The health care services provided under the Medicare package are compared to Tricare Care Senior Prime. Medicare does not provide long term nursing care or custodial care, and certain other health care needs such as dental care, eyeglasses, hearing aids, and most outpatient prescription drugs. Tricare Senior Prime is an attractive low cost alternative to dual- eligible military retirees searching for affordable health care. The DoD believes that it can provide health care services to dual-eligible military retirees at a lower cost than Medicare.