PUBLIC LAW 105-261—OCT. 17, 1998 112 STAT. 2077 TRICARE program, pharmaceutical programs, and joint physical examinations. (c) JOINT SURVEY OF POPULATIONS SERVED.— (1) The Secretary of Defense and the Secretary of Veterans Affairs shall jointly conduct a survey of their respective medical care beneficiary populations to identify, by category of beneficiary (defined as the Secretaries consider appropriate), the expectations of, requirements for, and behavior patterns of the beneficiaries with respect to medical care. The two Secretaries shall develop the protocol for the survey jointly, but shall obtain the services of an entity independent of the Department of Defense and the Department of Veterans Affairs to carry out the survey. (2) The survey shall include the following: (A) Demographic characteristics, economic characteristics, and geographic location of beneficiary populations with regard to catchment or service areas. (B) The types and frequency of care required by veterans, retirees, and dependents within catchment or service areas of Department of Defense and Department of Veterans Affairs medical facilities and outside those areas. (C) The numbers of, characteristics of, and types of medical care needed by the veterans, retirees, and dependents who, though eligible for medical care in Department of Defense or Department of Veterans Affairs treatment facilities or through other federally funded medical programs, choose not to seek medical care from those facilities or under those programs, and the reasons for that choice. (D) The obstacles or disincentives for seeking medical care from such facilities or under such programs that are perceived by veterans, retirees, and dependents. (E) Any other matters that the Secretary of Defense and the Secretary of Veterans Affairs consider appropriate for the survey. (3) The Secretary of Defense or the Secretary of Veterans Affairs may waive the survey requirements under this subsection with respect to information that can be better obtained from a source other than the survey. (4) The Secretary of Defense and the Secretary of Veterans Reports. Affairs shall submit a report on the results of the survey to the appropriate committees of Congress. The report shall contain the matters described in paragraph (2) and any proposals for legislation that the Secretaries recommend for enhancing Department of Defense and Department of Veterans Affairs cooperative efforts with respect to the delivery of medical care. (d) REVIEW OF LAW AND POLICIES. —(1) The Secretary of Defense and the Secretary of Veterans Affairs shall jointly conduct a review to identify impediments to cooperation between the Department of Defense and the Department of Veterans Affairs regarding the delivery of medical care. The matters reviewed shall include the following: (A) All laws, policies, and regulations, and any attitudes of beneficiaries of the health care systems of the two departments, that have the effect of preventing the establishment, or limiting the effectiveness, of cooperative health care programs of the departments. (B) The requirements and practices involved in the credentialling and licensure of health care providers.
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