US Federal House Bill HB1699

US Federal 2025-2026 Regular Session

• Introduced: 2/27/25
• Refer: 2/27/25

Caption

TOTAL Care Act

Summary

HB1699, the TRICARE OBGYN Treatment and Access without Lags in Care Act, would direct the Secretary of Defense to run a five-year pilot program within TRICARE Prime that allows eligible female beneficiaries to obtain obstetrical and gynecological care without first getting a referral. The bill also lets participants designate an OB-GYN provider as an additional primary care manager under TRICARE, which could make it easier to access routine and specialized women’s health services. The pilot would begin no later than 180 days after enactment and would require the Department of Defense to report to congressional defense committees after four years. That report must assess changes in TRICARE Prime enrollment and any cost impacts associated with providing OB-GYN care under the pilot, along with any other matters the Secretary considers relevant. The bill is limited to TRICARE Prime and applies only to covered participants who choose to join the pilot.

Impact

The bill would amend the operation of TRICARE Prime by creating an exception to the existing referral requirement in section 1095f(a)(1) of title 10, United States Code, for obstetrical and gynecological care. It would also allow a TRICARE Prime beneficiary to designate an OB-GYN as an additional primary care manager, potentially changing how women’s health care is coordinated within the military health system. The measure does not permanently rewrite TRICARE law; instead, it establishes a time-limited pilot program and requires a later report to inform Congress about enrollment and cost effects.

Sentiment

Based on the bill text and available context, the measure appears generally supportive of improving access to women’s health care for military beneficiaries. The bipartisan list of original cosponsors suggests broad interest in reducing administrative barriers and delays in OB-GYN care. No committee debate or recorded votes are available in the provided materials, so there is no documented opposition or formal sentiment beyond the bill’s apparent policy goal of improving access and convenience.

Contention

The main policy issue is whether removing the referral requirement for OB-GYN care under TRICARE Prime could improve access without creating unintended cost increases or disrupting care coordination. Supporters are likely to emphasize faster access, fewer administrative hurdles, and better continuity of women’s health care. Potential concerns, though not documented in the provided record, would likely center on cost, utilization, and whether allowing an OB-GYN to function as an additional primary care manager could affect the managed-care structure of TRICARE Prime. Because there were no committee transcripts or votes provided, no specific opposing members or groups are identified.