110 STAT. 376 PUBLIC LAW 104-106—FEB. 10, 1996 (3) to share financial risk by accepting as a maximum annual payment for such services a case-rate reimbursement not in excess of the amount of the annual standard CHAMPUS residential treatment benefit payable (as determined in accordance with section 8.1 of chapter 3 of volume II of the CHAMPUS policy manual). (d) REPORT. —Not later than March 1, 1998, the Secretary of Defense shall submit to the Committee on Armed Services of the Senate and the Committee on National Security of the House of Representatives a report on the program carried out under this section. The report shall contain— (1) an assessment of the effectiveness of the program; and (2) the Secretary's views regarding whether the program should be implemented throughout the military health care system. 10 USC 1073 SEC. 717. EVALUATION AND REPORT ON TRICARE PROGRAM note. EFFECTIVENESS. (a) EVALUATION REQUIRED. —The Secretary of Defense shall arrange for an on-going evaluation of the effectiveness of the TRICARE program in meeting the goals of increasing the access of covered beneficiaries under chapter 55 of title 10, United States Code, to health care and improving the quality of health care provided to covered beneficiaries, without increasing the costs incurred by the Government or covered beneficiaries. The evaluation shall specifically address— (1) the impact of the TRICARE program on military retirees with regard to access, costs, and quality of health care services; and (2) identify noncatchment areas in which the health maintenance organization option of the TRICARE program is available or is proposed to become available. (b) ENTITY TO CONDUCT EVALUATION.—The Secretary may use a federally funded research and development center to conduct the evaluation required by subsection (a). (c) ANNUAL REPORT.— Not later than March 1, 1997, and each March 1 thereafter, the Secretary shall submit to Congress a report describing the results of the evaluation under subsection (a) during the preceding year. SEC. 718. SENSE OF CONGRESS REGARDING ACCESS TO HEALTH CARE UNDER TRICARE PROGRAM FOR COVERED BENEFICIARIES WHO ARE MEDICARE ELIGIBLE. (a) FINDINGS. —Congress finds the following: (1) Medical care provided in facilities of the uniformed services is generally less expensive to the Federal Government than the same care provided at Government expense in the private sector. (2) Covered beneficiaries under the military health care provisions of chapter 55, United States Code, who are eligible for medicare under title XVIII of the Social Security Act (42 U.S.C. 1395 et seq.) deserve health care options that empower them to choose the health plan that best fits their needs. (b) SENSE OF CONGRESS.—In light of the findings specified in subsection (a), it is the sense of Congress that— (1) the Secretary of Defense should develop a program to ensure that such covered beneficiaries who reside in a region in which the TRICARE program has been implemented con-
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