View Rule

This rule implements section 716 of the National Defense Authorization Act for Fiscal Year 2013 (Pub. L. 112-239), which establishes a 5-year pilot program that would generally require TRICARE for Life beneficiaries to obtain all refill prescriptions for covered maintenance medications from the TRICARE mail order program or military treatment facility pharmacies. Covered maintenance medications are those that involve recurring prescriptions for chronic conditions, but do not include medications to treat acute conditions. Beneficiaries may opt out of the pilot program after 1 year of participation. This rule includes procedures to assist beneficiaries in transferring covered prescriptions to the mail-order pharmacy program. This regulation was issued as an interim final rule in order to comply with the express statutory intent that the program begin in calendar year 2013.

The rule was overcome by events and is withdrawn. Section 702(c) of the National Defense Authorization Act for Fiscal Year 2015 terminates the TRICARE For Life Pilot Program on September 30, 2015. The rule pursued under RIN 0720-AB57 overwrote these changes when published.