Health Care Reform In The Department Of Defense

To help address the Department of Defense's (DOD's) escalating health care costs, in 2013 DOD established the Defense Health Agency (DHA) to, among other things, combine common medical services such as medical education and training. DOD trains its servicemembers for a wide variety of medical positions, such as physicians, nurses, therapists, and pharmacists. DHA's Education and Training Directorate oversees many aspects of DOD's medical education and training. This report examined the extent to which DOD has (1) conducted analysis toreform medical education and training to achieve cost savings; and (2)determined whether the consolidation of training at the Medical Education and Training Campus (METC) in San Antonio, TX, has resulted in cost savings and designed processes to assess its effectiveness. Tables and figures. This is a print on demand report.

In 2013, DOD created the DHA to provide administrative support for the services' respective medical programs and combine common "shared" services to achieve cost savings. House Report 113-446 included a provision that GAO review DOD's progress in implementing the DHA. This report addresses the extent to which DOD has made progress in (1) assessing the personnel requirements of the DHA and its effect on MHS personnel levels; (2) developing an approach to achieving cost savings through shared services; and (3) fully developing performance measures to assess its shared services. GAO reviewed DOD's personnel requirements assessment process, business case analyses, and performance measures for the DHA's shared services. GAO compared this information with key management practices and DOD guidance. Additionally, GAO interviewed officials from the DHA and the military services.

In 2013, the Department of Defense (DOD) created the Defense Health Agency (DHA) to provide administrative support for the services' respective medical programs and combine common "shared" services to achieve cost savings. This report addresses the extent to which DOD has made progress in (1) assessing the personnel requirements of the DHA and its effect on Military Health System (MHS) personnel levels; (2) developing an approach to achieving cost savings through shared services; and (3) fully developing performance measures to assess its shared services. Tables and figures. This is a print on demand report.

" DOD initiated the Study to address perceived weaknesses within the Military Health System and to leverage advances in civilian business practices. The National Defense Authorization Act for Fiscal Year 2015 included a provision for DOD to submit the Study to the congressional defense committees and for GAO to review the Study. DOD submitted its study in February 2016. This report assesses, among other things, the extent to which the Study followed an approach that is consistent with relevant generally accepted research standards and utilized key practices for estimating cost savings. GAO compared the Study with generally accepted research standards that were developed by reviewing research literature and DOD guidance and with key practices derived from cost-estimating guidance. "

The Department of Defense views on the Military Compensation and Retirement Modernization Commission's recommendations for military health care reform : hearing before the Subcommittee on Military Personnel of the Committee on Armed Services, House of Representatives, One Hundred Fourteenth Congress, first session, hearing held June 11, 2015.

DEFENSE HEALTH CARE REFORM: Additional Implementation Details Would Increase Transparency of DOD's Plans and Enhance Accountability

The MHS is a complex organization that provides health services to almost 10 million beneficiaries across a range of care venues, including the battlefield, traditional hospitals and clinics at stationary locations, and authorized civilian providers.

To help address DOD's escalating health care costs, in 2013 DOD established the DHA to, among other things, combine common medical services such as medical education and training. DOD trains its servicemembers for a wide variety of medical positions, such as physicians, nurses, therapists, and pharmacists. DHA's Education and Training Directorate is to oversee many aspects of DOD's medical education and training and is now expected to begin operations in August 2014. GAO was mandated to review DOD's efforts to consolidate medical education and training. GAO examined the extent to which DOD has (1) conducted analysis to reform medical education and training to achieve cost savings and (2) determined whether the consolidation of training at METC has resulted in cost savings and designed processes to assess its effectiveness. GAO compared DHA implementation plans and METC budget information from fiscal years 2010 through 2012 with best practices and interviewed officials from the DHA, METC, and military services' Surgeons General offices.