TRICARE; Changes Included in the National Defense Authorization Act for Fiscal Year 2003 (NDAA-03)

This interim final rule contains several provisions found in the NDAA-03, Public Law 107-314, signed on December 2, 2002. Specifically this rule addresses eliminating the requirement for TRICARE preauthorization of inpatient mental health care for Medicare- eligible beneficiaries where Medicare is primary payer and has already authorized the care using Medicare certification of individual professional providers as sufficient documentation to also certify individual professional providers under TRICARE; and expanding the TRICARE Dental Program (TDP) eligibility for dependents of deceased members. Public comments are invited and will be considered for possible revisions to the final rule.