Resident Commissioner Introduces Legislation to Improve Veterans TRICARE Benefits in Puerto Rico

WASHINGTON, D.C. - Puerto Rico Resident Commissioner Pablo José Hernández has introduced the TRICARE Equality Act. This legislation directs the U.S. Department of Defense (DOD) to improve TRICARE Prime access and travel benefits for Puerto Rico veterans. The bill also requires coordination between the Federal Electronic Health Record Modernization Office and Puerto Rico's Department of Health to share health data. Hernandez is joined by U.S. Representatives Julia Brownley (D-Calif.), Eleanor Holmes Norton (D-D.C.), and Hank Johnson (D-Ga.) as original cosponsors of the bill.

"Our veterans and military families in Puerto Rico have sacrificed just as much as their counterparts on the mainland, and they deserve equal access to the healthcare benefits they've earned. The TRICARE Equality Act will help close the unacceptable gaps in care faced by our servicemembers, retirees, and their families on the island. By improving TRICARE Prime access, expanding travel benefits, and ensuring better coordination of health data, this bill takes a critical step toward treating Puerto Rico's military community with the dignity and fairness they deserve," said Hernández.

TRICARE, the healthcare program that serves military personnel, retirees, and their families, is currently available in Puerto Rico through the TRICARE Overseas Program (TOP). Approximately 38,000 individuals in Puerto Rico rely on TRICARE, including active duty service members and their families, members of the National Guard and Reserve, and around 24,000 military retirees and their families. Under the TRICARE Area Office for Latin America and Canada, Puerto Rico offers several health plan options such as TRICARE Prime Remote, TRICARE Select, and TRICARE Reserve Select.

However, because Puerto Rico is excluded from the full TRICARE Prime network, beneficiaries on the island face significant barriers to accessing care. Many are forced to pay upfront for services and submit claims for reimbursement later, encounter gaps in access to specialty care that often require travel to the mainland, and endure delays in receiving necessary treatments.

This legislation addresses these disparities by directing the U.S. Department of Defense (DOD) to improve TRICARE Prime access and travel benefits for Puerto Rico's military community, ensuring they receive the same level of healthcare access as their counterparts on the mainland. It also requires the Federal Electronic Health Record Modernization Office to coordinate with Puerto Rico's Department of Health to share health data and improve care delivery.

Hernandez is joined by U.S. Representatives Julia Brownley (D-Calif.), Eleanor Holmes Norton (D-D.C.), and Hank Johnson (D-Ga.) as original cosponsors of the bill.

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