TRICARE; Civilian Health and Medical Program of the Uniformed Services (CHAMPUS); Payments for Professional Services in Low-Access Locations

This final rule implements 10 U.S.C. 1097b(a), as added by section 716 of the National Defense Authorization Act for Fiscal Year 2000 which allows higher provider reimbursement rates than normally allowable, with certain limitations, when necessary to ensure an adequate TRICARE Prime network of qualified providers. This final rule also implements 10 U.S.c. 1079(h)(5), as added by section 747 of the Floyd D. Spence National Defense Authorization Act for Fiscal Year 2001, to remedy circumstances in which TRICARE beneficiaries face very severe limitations on access to needed health care services.