119-hr3148

[Congressional Bills 119th Congress]
[From the U.S. Government Publishing Office]
[H.R. 3148 Introduced in House

    (IH) ]

<DOC>

119th CONGRESS
 1st Session
 H. R. 3148

 To direct the Secretary of Defense to carry out a pilot program to 
 assist certain members of the Armed Forces and dependents with 
 additional supplemental coverage relating to cancer.

_______________________________________________________________________

 IN THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES

 May 1, 2025

 Mr. Jack (for himself, Mr. Austin Scott of Georgia, Mr. Figures, Mr. 
Carter of Georgia, Mr. Bresnahan, Mr. McCormick, Mr. Moore of Alabama, 
 Ms. Sewell, Mr. Collins, Mr. Gill of Texas, Mr. Bishop, Mr. Moore of 
 West Virginia, Mr. Fine, Mrs. Wagner, Mrs. Houchin, Mr. Strong, Mr. 
Goldman of Texas, Mr. McGuire, Mr. Aderholt, and Mr. Bacon) introduced 
 the following bill; which was referred to the Committee on Armed 
 Services

_______________________________________________________________________

 A BILL

 To direct the Secretary of Defense to carry out a pilot program to 
 assist certain members of the Armed Forces and dependents with 
 additional supplemental coverage relating to cancer.

 Be it enacted by the Senate and House of Representatives of the 
United States of America in Congress assembled,

SECTION 1. SHORT TITLE.

 This Act may be cited as the ``Supporting America's Leaders 
Undergoing Tough Expenses Act'' or the ``SALUTE Act''.

SEC. 2. PILOT PROGRAM TO ASSIST CERTAIN MEMBERS OF THE ARMED FORCES AND 
 DEPENDENTS WITH ADDITIONAL SUPPLEMENTAL COVERAGE RELATING 
 TO CANCER.

    (a) Establishment.--Not later than September 30, 2026, the 
Secretary of Defense shall establish a pilot program under which a 
covered individual may obtain supplemental insurance for noncovered 
expenses under a fixed indemnity supplemental benefit plan described in 
subsection

    (b)

    (1) .

    (b) Agreement.--

    (1) In general.--In carrying out the pilot program under 
 subsection

    (a) , the Secretary shall enter into an agreement 
 with not more than two companies to each offer one or more 
 fixed indemnity supplemental benefit plans that--
        (A) meet the requirements for a supplemental 
 insurance plan under 

section 199.2 of title 32, Code of 
 Federal Regulations, and the exception in 

section 199.8

    (b)

    (4) of such title, as in effect on the date of 
 the enactment of this Act;
        (B) are provided under a separate policy, 
 certificate, or contract;
            (C) provide no coordination with any other health 
 benefit plan; and
            (D) are designed to help participants pay 
 noncovered expenses.

    (2) Duration.--An agreement entered into under paragraph

    (1) shall be for a period of at least three years.

    (3) Requirements.--In entering an agreement under paragraph

    (1) with a company, the Secretary--
        (A) may not select the company unless the company 
 is licensed in each State;
        (B) shall award the contract based on the expertise 
 of the company;
            (C) shall negotiate the terms and conditions of the 
 fixed indemnity supplemental benefit plan provided 
 under the contract, including with respect to the 
 ability of the company to communicate with individuals 
 not enrolled in the plan and whether such communication 
 may include information on other insurance products;
            (D) shall negotiate the cost of coverage with the 
 company that will cover the participants who elect to 
 enroll in such plan;
        (E) shall provide a method for verification of the 
 eligibility of applicants and procedures for 
 determination of eligibility; and
        (F) shall provide a method for payroll deduction of 
 premiums.

    (4) Provision of information.--The Secretary shall provide 
 information to covered individuals regarding the pilot program 
 under subsection

    (a) by making available on the online portal 
 of the TRICARE program the following information:
        (A) A notice of availability of a fixed indemnity 
 supplemental benefit plan provided under the pilot 
 program.
        (B) A description of how to enroll in such plan.
            (C) A description and explanation of the benefits 
 provided under such plan.
            (D) A description of the costs to the individual 
 through premiums and remittances to a company providing 
 such plan.
            (c) Election To Enroll.--A covered individual may elect to enroll 
in a fixed indemnity supplemental benefit plan provided under the pilot 
program under subsection

    (a) .
            (d) Limitations on Authorization of Appropriations.--None of the 
amounts authorized to be appropriated by this Act to carry out the 
pilot program may be used to subsidize the cost of a fixed indemnity 
supplemental benefit plan provided under the pilot program under 
subsection

    (a) .

    (e) Treatment of Companies.--For purposes of the pilot program 
under subsection

    (a) , companies selected to carry out the activities in 
subsection

    (b) shall not be considered contractors of the Federal 
Government.

    (f) Preemption.--The provisions of this section shall supersede the 
laws of any State except with respect to State laws relating to 
licensing of an insurance company or plan solvency of such a company.

    (g) Report.--Not later than three years after the date on which the 
pilot program under subsection

    (a) commences, the Secretary shall 
submit to the Committees on Armed Services of the Senate and the House 
of Representatives a report regarding such pilot program, including the 
following:

    (1) A description of the insurance products provided 
 through a fixed indemnity supplemental benefit plan provided 
 under the pilot program under subsection

    (a) .

    (2) The number of covered individuals who enrolled in such 
 a plan.

    (3) Feedback and examples of use cases by such individuals.

    (4) A determination by the Secretary with respect to 
 whether such pilot program should be made permanent.

    (h) Sunset.--Unless the Secretary makes a determination under 
subsection

    (g)

    (4) to make the pilot program under subsection

    (a) permanent, the pilot program under subsection

    (a) shall terminate on 
the day that is five years after the date of the enactment of this Act.
            (i) === Definitions. ===
-In this section:

    (1) The term ``covered individual'' means the following:
        (A) A member of the Army, Navy, Marine Corps, Air 
 Force, or Space Force.
        (B) A dependent (as defined in 

section 1072 of 
 title 10, United States Code) of such a member who is 
 enrolled in the TRICARE program.

    (2) The term ``noncovered expense'' means, with respect to 
 a covered individual, any expenses relating to the screening 
 for and diagnosis and treatment of cancer that are not 
 otherwise covered by the health care benefits the individuals 
 receives under chapter 55 of title 10, United States Code.

    (3) The term ``State'' has the meaning given such term in 
 

section 901 of title 32, United States Code.

    (4) The term ``TRICARE program'' has the meaning given that 
 term in 

section 1072 of title 10, United States Code.
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