WASHINGTON – Arizona senior Senator Kyrsten Sinema, along with U.S. Senators Richard Blumenthal (D-Conn.), Tina Smith (D-Minn.), and John Fetterman (D-Pa.), introduced the Servicemember Healthcare Freedom Act – legislation allowing members of the Selected Reserve and National Guard who are federal employees to choose between military and civilian health care plans.
“Arizona servicemembers and their families make difficult sacrifices to keep us safe and secure – it’s our responsibility to ensure they’re supported. Our legislation ensures members of the National Guard and Reserves receive the quality, affordable health care they’ve earned,” said Sinema, a member of the Senate Veterans’ Affairs Committee.
Under current federal law, the approximately 113,000 members of the Selected Reserve and National Guard who are also federal employees are eligible for a Federal Employee Health Benefit Plan (FEHBP), and therefore prohibited from participating in the more affordable TRICARE Reserve Select (TRS) plan. A plan for a single adult with no dependents through FEHBP is approximately $130/month, whereas a similar plan through TRS is $51.95/month.
The TRS Program provides members of the National Guard and Reserves access to low-cost, quality health care through military treatment facilities or networked community providers. The U.S. Department of Defense is required to subsidize the cost of TRS, making it significantly more affordable than FEHBP.
The Servicemember Healthcare Freedom Act would lift the TRS enrollment restriction, allowing members of the Selected Reserve and National Guard to access more affordable health care options as soon as possible.