12 2 STA T . 1 9 1 PUBLIC LA W 11 0– 1 8 1 —J A N .28 , 2008 (C)Theav a il a b ili tyofm e n tal health c a r e p rovi d er s inT RI C A R EP rime service areas selected u nder para g raph ( 3 )(C) and in geographic areas in w hich TRICARE Prime is not offered . ( 2 ) BENCHMARKS . — The S ecretary shall establish for pur - poses of the surveys re q uired by paragraph ( 1 ) benchmar k s for primary care and specialty care providers , including mental health care providers, to be utili z ed to determine the adequacy of the availability of health care providers to beneficiaries eligible for TRICARE. (3) SC OP EO F S U R V E Y S.—The Secretary shall carry out the surveys required by paragraph (1) as follows
(A) In the case of the surveys required by subparagraph (A) of that paragraph, in at least 2 0 TRICARE Prime service areas in the U nited States in each of fiscal years 200 8 through 2011. (B) In the case of the surveys required by subparagraph (B) of that paragraph, in 20 geographic areas in which TRICARE Prime is not offered and in which significant numbers of beneficiaries who are members of the Selected Reserve reside. (C) In the case of the surveys required by subparagraph (C) of that paragraph, in at least 4 0 geographic areas. (4) PR I ORI T Y FOR SURVEYS.—In prioritizing the areas which are to be surveyed under paragraph (1), the Secretary shall— (A) consult with representatives of TRICARE bene- ficiaries and health care and mental health care providers to identify locations where TRICARE Standard bene- ficiaries are e x periencing significant levels of access-to- care problems under TRICARE Standard or TRICARE Extra
(B) give a high priority to surveying health care and mental health care providers in such areas; and (C) give a high priority to surveying beneficiaries and providers located in geographic areas with high concentra- tions of members of the Selected Reserve. ( 5 ) INFORMATION FROM PROVI D ERS.—The surveys required by paragraph (1) shall include questions seeking to determine from health care and mental health care providers the fol- lowing: (A) W hether the provider is aware of the TRICARE program. (B) What percentage of the provider ’ s current patient population uses any form of TRICARE. (C) Whether the provider accepts patients for whom payment is made under the medicare program for health care and mental health care services. ( D ) If the provider accepts patients referred to in subparagraph (C), whether the provider would accept addi- tional such patients who are not in the provider’s current patient population. ( 6 ) INFORMATION FROM B ENEFICIARIES.—The surveys required by paragraph (1) shall include questions seeking information to determine from TRICARE beneficiaries whether they have difficulties in finding health care and mental health care providers willing to provide services under TRICARE Standard or TRICARE Extra.
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