105 STAT. 1408 PUBLIC LAW 102-190—DEC. 5, 1991 which the Secretaries of the military departments have handled requests for designee status for minors who are in the legal custody of a member or former member of the Armed Forces, including minors related by blood or adoption to a member or former member, and are otherwise ineligible for health care in the military medical health care system. Such data shall include— (A) the total number of requests for designee status involving these minors during that period; (B) the total number of these minors given designee status during that period; and (C) the average distance and range of distances that the minors given designee status must travel for medical and dental care in the military medical health care system. (3) The report required by this section shall also include an assessment by the Secretary of Defense of the necessity, desirability, and cost implications of designating as dependents for purposes of eligibility for care in the military medical health care system under chapter 55 of title 10, United States Code, and allowances under chapter 7 of title 37, United States Code, unmarried persons who— (A) are in the legal custody of members or former members of the Armed Forces; (B) are not considered the dependents of a member or former member for purposes of eligibility to obtain care in the military medical health care system or allowances under chapter 7 of title 37, United States Code; (C) are dependent on the member for half of their support; and (D) are under 21 years of age, incapable of self support because of disability, or under 23 years of age and enrolled in a full-time course of study in an institution of higher education. (4) The assessment required by paragraph (3) shall include an estimate of the number of persons referred to in that paragraph who potentially could be granted dependent status as a result of the change considered in that assessment and the costs of making that change. 10 USC 1071 SEC. 733. COMPREHENSIVE STUDY OF THE MILITARY MEDICAL CARE note. SYSTEM. (a) REQUIREMENT FOR STUDY AND REPORT.— The Secretary of Defense shall conduct a comprehensive study of the military medical care system. Not later than December 15, 1992, the Secretary shall submit to the congressional defense committees a detailed accounting on the progress of the study, including preliminary results of the study. Not later than December 15, 1993, the Secretary shall submit to the congressional defense committees a final report on the study. (b) ELEMENTS OF STUDY.— The Secretary of Defense shall include as part of the study required by subsection (a) the following: (1) A systematic review of the military medical care system required to support the Armed Forces during a war or other conflict and any adjustments to that system required to provide cost-effective health care in peacetime to covered beneficiaries. (2) A comprehensive review of the existing methods of providing health and dental care through civilian health and dental care programs that are available as alternatives to the methods for providing such care through the existing military medical care system, including the cost and quality results of experimental use of such alternative methods by the Secretary and
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