An evaluation of resource sharing within TRICARE's managed care support contracts

Abstract

To help reduce the overall cost of health care in the Military Health Services System, Managed Care Support Contracts include a provision known as Resource Sharing. Resource Sharing Agreements allow the contractor to provide personnel, equipment, or supplies to a military treatment facility to improve its capability to deliver health care. After reviewing civilian managed care programs, this thesis examines the Military Health Services System and its new managed care program known as TRICARE. Then the concept of Resource Sharing is examined and the process for identifying, evaluating, and using cost effective Resource Sharing Agreements is discussed. Case studies of different types of agreements are used to illustrate the complexity and importance of cost and workload estimates and key contract factors in understanding the agreements. The findings suggest that the contractor's and government's performance data and assumptions underlying the agreements should be continuously monitored to ensure the cost-effectiveness of the agreements.