The Government Accountability Office (GAO) recently conducted a study of a pharmacy benefit pilot program the U.S. Department of Defense (DOD) offers to beneficiaries of Tricare, a health care plan for veterans and active military members.
The pharmacy benefit is available to those who receive prescriptions from Tricare's mail-order program, military treatment facility (MTF) pharmacies or retail pharmacies. The pilot program was launched in 2013, when the DOD inspector general announced the department had determined it was more cost-effective to fill prescriptions through mail order than at retail pharmacies.
Subsequently, the National Defense Authorization Act (NDAA) for fiscal year 2013 required DOD to implement a pilot for certain TRICARE beneficiaries to have their covered brand maintenance medications through mail order or MTF pharmacies.
The pilot will terminate at the end of this fiscal year; and at that time the pilot requirements will be expanded to all eligible TRICARE beneficiaries.
After conducting the study, the GAO recommended the DOD develop and implement a monitoring plan as part of its expansion planning documents, and the department has agreed to the recommendation.
For more information, contact Debra Draper at 202-512-7114 or draperd@gao.gov.
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