TRICARE Program; Waiver of Certain TRICARE Deductibles; Clarification of TRICARE Prime Enrollment Period; Enrollment in TRICARE Prime Remote for Active Duty Family Members

A proposed rule to implement section 714 of the National Defense Authorization Act (NDAA) for Fiscal Year 2000 was published on April 18, 2002 (67 FR 19141) to authorize the Secretary of Defense to waive the TRICARE deductible in certain cases for care provided to a dependent of a member of a Reserve Component or the National Guard who is called to active duty for more than 30 days but less than one year. The proposed rule also established circumstances under which eligible beneficiaries may enroll in TRICARE Prime for a period of less than one year. The proposed rule is withdrawn and instead is implemented along with section 702 of the NDAA for FY 2003, which establishes circumstances under which dependents of Reserve Component and National Guard members called to active duty in support of contingency operations may enroll in TRICARE Prime Remote for Active Duty Family Members, and dependents of TRICARE Prime Remote service members who are enrolled in TRICARE Prime Remote for Active Duty Family Members may remain enrolled when the service member receives orders for an unaccompanied follow-on assignment. This interim final rule authorizes the Secretary of Defense to waive the TRICARE deductible in certain cases for care provided to a dependent of a member of a Reserve Component or the National Guard who is called to active duty for more than 30 days but less than 1 year. It establishes circumstances under which eligible beneficiaries may enroll in TRICARE Prime for a period of less than 1 year.