The Military Health Service System: beneficiary satisfaction and an option for change

Abstract

This thesis investigates several factors associated with the current military health benefit. These included: (1) beneficiary satisfaction with military as well as civilian medical treatment facilities, (2) the number of active duty military personnel who choose to use military facilities and the personal cost incurred in making that decision, (3) the number of active duty military personnel who would purchase civilian health insurance, (4) and the benefits of retaining the current military health benefit as opposed to instituting a civilian group health insurance plan in its place. Five hundred forty-nine officers completed a questionnaire that was developed to address these issues. Trends noted were: (1) a slight rise in the level of dissatisfaction with the care provided by the current military health care benefit as time in service increases and (2) an increase in the use of civilian services in the military health service system, such as medical care for military beneficiaries at civilian treatment facilities and the use of commercial insurance plans for psychiatric treatment. The arguments presented in this thesis on this very sensitive issue will continue to be debated by both the Department of Defense and the legislative branch of the government.