Methodology for Evaluating the Effect of Tricare on Readiness

The military is experimenting with managed care options as a vehicle for reforming the military health care system. Will this move to managed care affect medical readiness? The Military Health Services System (MHSS) has a dual mission. It provides medical services to the armed forces during military operations and supplies continuous health care services to active duty personnel, their dependents, retirees, and their dependents. During peacetime, the MHSS concentrates on maintaining the fitness of active duty personnel and providing services to nonactive-duty beneficiaries. However, the MHSS must always be ready to support military operations. This information memorandum explores how a managed care plan--the TRICARE demonstration project in the Virginia Tidewater area--may affect medicl readiness. In this paper, we outline a methodology and identify data sources for determining the impact of TRICARE on medical readiness.