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TIPS & CLIPS, continued from page 9

Closures of Medical Treatment Facilities

NERA, along with the TMC (The Military Coalition), is MTF pharmacies play a critical role for many beneficia-
aware of the closures of most of the Medical Treatment ries, including those not enrolled at MTFs. From the
Facilities (MTFs) to all but active duty military and the Section 703 report, it is unclear how pharmacies will be
intent to direct dependents, reservists and retirees to find impacted. TMC has the following concerns about phar-
medical facilities out on the economy. Additionally, the macy services at impacted MTFs:
government has seen fit to cut the medical billets, which
at this time of crisis, seems to be ill-advised at best. Q Will pharmacies at downsized facilities be staffed
to handle all eligible beneficiaries, not just those
The TMC has addressed their concerns in a statement enrolled at the MTF?
addressed to the House Armed Services Subcommittee on
Personnel on March 13, 2020, which includes the MTFs Q Will formularies be reduced to meet the needs of
along with other major issues. only the smaller enrolled population?

Primarily, the TMC wrote: Q The Section 703 report says pharmacies will be
accessible to “MTF eligibles.” How is that term
Q What is the process for ensuring a by name provider defined?
with appointment availability for every disempan-
eled beneficiary? Q For beneficiaries disempaneled from MTFs, will
their civilian providers have the option of prescribing
Q How will medically complex beneficiaries, or those to the MTF pharmacy?
with on-going treatment plans, be transitioned to
civilian providers? What are the staffing require- Before any MTFs are converted to active duty only, we
ments for these additional case management needs? urge Congress to require a study on the impact to female
service member health care. Almost 85 percent of patients
Q What are the plans for maintenance and update of at active-duty-only MTFs will be male and the volume
health records during transition from MTFs to the of female-specific healthcare provided will tumble as
civilian network and possible subsequent return to dependents leave the system. Will MTFs retain enough
the direct care system upon geographic move or PCS? volume of female-specific services to maintain a cadre of
credentialed providers to meet the needs of active-duty
Q How will impacted graduate medical education (GME) women for OB/GYN care, mammogram services, treat-
programs and residency programs be relocated? ment of female specific cancers, newborn care, etc.? If
not, the study should determine: 1) Projected lost time
Q How will health care for female service members be for active-duty women if they must obtain these services
impacted by MTF service reductions? from the civilian community; 2) Newborn care for infants
of active-duty women; 3) Impact on medical readiness of
Q What are the costs of restructuring/realignment? active-duty women.

Q What are the planned changes to military and civil- TMC also remains concerned regarding DoD plans to
ian personnel assigned to each facility? decrease the military medical force by nearly 18,000
positions, a reduction of almost 18 percent. If not care-
Q What are the timelines for restructuring/realignment? fully and methodically implemented, this reduction
could place combat readiness, medical readiness and
Q What are plans to assist service members and covered beneficiary care at risk.
beneficiaries with travel and lodging, if necessary, in
connect with the receipt of specialty care services at While we have been told the smaller uniformed medi-
regional centers of excellence? cal force can meet operational continued on page 12

The Naval Enlisted Reserve Association 11