[Code of Federal Regulations]
[Title 32, Volume 2]
[Revised as of July 1, 2008]
From the U.S. Government Printing Office via GPO Access
[CITE: 32CFR199.21]

[Page 340-347]
 
                       TITLE 32--NATIONAL DEFENSE
 
        CHAPTER I--OFFICE OF THE SECRETARY OF DEFENSE (CONTINUED)
 
PART 199_CIVILIAN HEALTH AND MEDICAL PROGRAM OF THE UNIFORMED SERVICES 
 
Sec. 199.21  Pharmacy benefits program.

    (a) General--(1) Statutory authority. Title 10, U.S. Code, Section 
1074g requires that the Department of Defense establish an effective, 
efficient, integrated pharmacy benefits program for the Military Health 
System. This law is independent of a number of sections of Title 10 and 
other laws that affect the benefits, rules, and procedures of TRICARE, 
resulting in changes to the rules otherwise applicable to TRICARE Prime, 
Standard, and Extra.
    (2) Pharmacy benefits program. The pharmacy benefits program, which 
includes the uniform formulary and its associated tiered co-payment 
structure, is applicable to all of the uniformed services. Its 
geographical applicability is all 50 states and the District of 
Columbia, Guam, Puerto Rico, and the Virgin Islands. In addition, if 
authorized by the Assistant Secretary of Defense (Health Affairs), the 
TRICARE program may be implemented in areas outside the 50 states and 
the District of Columbia, Guam, Puerto Rico, and the Virgin Islands. In 
such case, the Assistant Secretary of Defense (Health Affairs) may also 
authorize modifications to the pharmacy benefits program rules as may be 
appropriate to the areas involved.
    (3) Uniform formulary. The pharmacy benefits program features a 
uniform formulary of pharmaceutical agents as defined in Sec. 199.2.
    (i) The uniform formulary will assure the availability of 
pharmaceutical agents in the complete range of therapeutic classes 
authorized as basic program benefits.
    (ii) As required by 10 U.S.C. 1074g(a)(2) and implemented under the 
procedures established by paragraphs (e) and (f) of this section, 
pharmaceutical agents in each therapeutic class are selected for 
inclusion on the uniform formulary based upon the relative clinical 
effectiveness and cost effectiveness of the agents in such class. If a 
pharmaceutical agent in a therapeutic class is determined by the 
Department of Defense Pharmacy and Therapeutics Committee not to have a 
significant, clinically meaningful therapeutic advantage in terms of 
safety, effectiveness, or clinical outcome over other pharmaceutical 
agents included on the uniform formulary, the Committee may recommend it 
be classified as a non-formulary agent. In addition, if the evaluation 
by the Pharmacy and Therapeutics Committee concludes that a 
pharmaceutical agent in a therapeutic class is not cost effective 
relative to other pharmaceutical agents in that therapeutic class, 
considering costs, safety, effectiveness, and clinical outcomes, the 
Committee may recommend it be classified as a non-formulary agent.
    (iii) Pharmaceutical agents which are used exclusively in medical 
treatments or procedures that are expressly excluded from the TRICARE 
benefit by statute or regulation will not be considered for inclusion on 
the uniform formulary. Excluded pharmaceutical agents shall not be 
available as non-formulary agents, nor will they be cost-shared under 
the TRICARE pharmacy benefits program.

[[Page 341]]

    (b) Definitions. For most definitions applicable to the provisions 
of this section, refer to Sec. 199.2. The following definitions apply 
only to this section:
    (1) Clinically necessary. Also referred to as clinical necessity. 
Sufficient evidence submitted by a beneficiary or provider on behalf of 
the beneficiary that establishes that one or more of the following 
conditions exist: The use of formulary pharmaceutical agents is 
contraindicated; the patient experiences significant adverse effects 
from formulary pharmaceutical agents in the therapeutic class, or is 
likely to experience significant adverse effects from formulary 
pharmaceutical agents in the therapeutic class; formulary pharmaceutical 
agents result in therapeutic failure, or the formulary pharmaceutical 
agent is likely to result in therapeutic failure; the patient previously 
responded to a non-formulary pharmaceutical agent and changing to a 
formulary pharmaceutical agent would incur an unacceptable clinical 
risk; or there is no alternative pharmaceutical agent on the formulary.
    (2) Therapeutic class. A group of pharmaceutical agents that are 
similar in chemical structure, pharmacological effect, and/or clinical 
use.
    (c) Department of Defense Pharmacy and Therapeutics Committee--(1) 
Purpose. The Department of Defense Pharmacy and Therapeutics Committee 
is established by 10 U.S.C. 1074g to assure that the selection of 
pharmaceutical agents for the uniform formulary is based on broadly 
representative professional expertise concerning relative clinical and 
cost effectiveness of pharmaceutical agents and accomplishes an 
effective, efficient, integrated pharmacy benefits program.
    (2) Composition. As required by 10 U.S.C. 1074g(b), the committee 
includes representatives of pharmacies of the uniformed services 
facilities and representatives of providers in facilities of the 
uniformed services. Committee members will have expertise in treating 
the medical needs of the populations served through such entities and in 
the range of pharmaceutical and biological medicines available for 
treating such populations.
    (3) Executive Council. The Pharmacy and Therapeutics Committee may 
have an Executive Council, composed of those voting and non-voting 
members of the Committee who are military or civilian employees of the 
Department of Defense. The function of the Executive Council is to 
review and analyze issues relating to the operation of the uniform 
formulary, including issues of an inherently governmental nature, 
procurement sensitive information, and matters affecting military 
readiness. The Executive Council presents information to the Pharmacy 
and Therapeutics Committee, but is not authorized to act for the 
Committee.
    (d) Uniform Formulary Beneficiary Advisory Panel. As required by 10 
U.S.C. 1074g(c), a Uniform Formulary Beneficiary Advisory Panel reviews 
and comments on the development of the uniform formulary. The Panel 
includes members that represent non-governmental organizations and 
associations that represent the views and interests of a large number of 
eligible covered beneficiaries, contractors responsible for the TRICARE 
retail pharmacy program, contractors responsible for the TRICARE mail-
order pharmacy program, and TRICARE network providers. The panel will 
meet after each Pharmacy and Therapeutics Committee quarterly meeting. 
The Panel's comments will be submitted to the Director, TRICARE 
Management Activity. The Director will consider the comments before 
implementing the uniform formulary or any recommendations for change 
made by the Pharmacy and Therapeutics Committee. The Panel will function 
in accordance with the Federated Advisory Committee Act (5 U.S.C. App. 
2).
    (e) Determinations regarding relative clinical and cost 
effectiveness for the selection of pharmaceutical agents for the uniform 
formulary--(1) Clinical effectiveness. (i) It is presumed that 
pharmaceutical agents in a therapeutic class are clinically effective 
and should be included on the uniform formulary unless the Pharmacy and 
Therapeutics Committee finds by a majority vote that a pharmaceutical 
agent does not have a significant, clinically meaningful therapeutic 
advantage in terms of safety, effectiveness, or clinical outcome over 
the other pharmaceutical

[[Page 342]]

agents included on the uniform formulary in that therapeutic class. This 
determination is based on the collective professional judgment of the 
DoD Pharmacy and Therapeutics Committee and consideration of pertinent 
information from a variety of sources determined by the Committee to be 
relevant and reliable. The DoD Pharmacy and Therapeutics Committee has 
discretion based on its collective professional judgment in determining 
what sources should be reviewed or relied upon in evaluating the 
clinical effectiveness of a pharmaceutical agent in a therapeutic class.
    (ii) Sources of information may include but are not limited to:
    (A) Medical and pharmaceutical textbooks and reference books;
    (B) Clinical literature;
    (C) U.S. Food and Drug Administration determinations and 
information;
    (D) Information from pharmaceutical companies;
    (E) Clinical practice guidelines, and
    (F) Expert opinion.
    (iii) The DoD Pharmacy and Therapeutics Committee will evaluate the 
relative clinical effectiveness of pharmaceutical agents within a 
therapeutic class by considering information about their safety, 
effectiveness, and clinical outcome.
    (iv) Information considered by the Committee may include but is not 
limited to:
    (A) U.S. Food and Drug Administration approved and other studied 
indications;
    (B) Pharmacology;
    (C) Pharmacokinetics;
    (D) Contraindications;
    (E) Warnings/precautions;
    (F) Incidence and severity of adverse effects;
    (G) Drug to drug, drug to food, and drug to disease interactions;
    (H) Availability, dosing, and method of administration;
    (I) Epidemiology and relevant risk factors for diseases/conditions 
in which the pharmaceutical agents are used;
    (J) Concomitant therapies;
    (K) Results of safety and efficacy studies;
    (L) Results of effectiveness/clinical outcomes studies, and
    (M) Results of meta-analyses.
    (2) Cost effectiveness. (i) In considering the relative cost 
effectiveness of pharmaceutical agents in a therapeutic class, the DoD 
Pharmacy and Therapeutics Committee shall evaluate the costs of the 
agents in relation to the safety, effectiveness, and clinical outcomes 
of the other agents in the class.
    (ii) Information considered by the Committee concerning the relative 
cost effectiveness of pharmaceutical agents may include but is not 
limited to:
    (A) Cost of the pharmaceutical agent to the Government;
    (B) Impact on overall medical resource utilization and costs;
    (C) Cost-efficacy studies;
    (D) Cost-effectiveness studies;
    (E) Cross-sectional or retrospective economic evaluations;
    (F) Pharmacoeconomic models;
    (G) Patent expiration dates;
    (H) Clinical practice guideline recommendations, and
    (I) Existence of existing or proposed blanket purchase agreements, 
incentive price agreements, or contracts.
    (f) Evaluation of pharmaceutical agents for determinations regarding 
inclusion on the uniform formulary. The DoD Pharmacy and Therapeutics 
Committee will periodically evaluate or re-evaluate individual 
pharmaceutical agents and therapeutic classes of pharmaceutical agents 
for determinations regarding inclusion or continuation on the uniform 
formulary. Such evaluation or re-evaluation may be prompted by a variety 
of circumstances including, but not limited to:
    (1) Approval of a new pharmaceutical agent by the U.S. Food and Drug 
Administration;
    (2) Approval of a new indication for an existing pharmaceutical 
agent;
    (3) Changes in the clinical use of existing pharmaceutical agents;
    (4) New information concerning the safety, effectiveness or clinical 
outcomes of existing pharmaceutical agents;
    (5) Price changes;
    (6) Shifts in market share;
    (7) Scheduled review of a therapeutic class; and
    (8) Requests from Pharmacy and Therapeutics Committee members,

[[Page 343]]

military treatment facilities, or other Military Health System 
officials.
    (g) Administrative procedures for establishing and maintaining the 
uniform formulary--(1) Pharmacy and Therapeutics Committee 
determinations. Determinations of the Pharmacy and Therapeutics 
Committee are by majority vote and recorded in minutes of Committee 
meetings. The minutes set forth the determinations of the committee 
regarding the pharmaceutical agents selected for inclusion in the 
uniform formulary and summarize the reasons for those determinations. 
For any pharmaceutical agent (including maintenance medications) for 
which a recommendation is made that the status of the agent be changed 
from the formulary tier to the non-formulary tier of the uniform 
formulary, or that the agent requires a pre-authorization, the Committee 
shall also make a recommendation as to effective date of such change 
that will not be longer than 180 days from the final decision date but 
may be less. The minutes will include a record of the number of members 
voting for and against the Committee's action.
    (2) Beneficiary Advisory Panel. Comments and recommendations of the 
Beneficiary Advisory Panel are recorded in minutes of Panel meetings. 
The minutes set forth the comments and recommendations of the Panel and 
summarize the reasons for those comments and recommendations. The 
minutes will include a record of the number of members voting for or 
against the Panel's comments and recommendations.
    (3) Uniform formulary final decisions. The Director of the TRICARE 
Management Activity makes the final DoD decisions regarding the uniform 
formulary. Those decisions are based on the Director's review of the 
final determinations of the Pharmacy and Therapeutics Committee and the 
comments and recommendations of the Beneficiary Advisory Panel. No 
pharmaceutical agent may be designated as non-formulary on the uniform 
formulary unless it is preceded by such recommendation by the Pharmacy 
and Therapeutics Committee. The decisions of the Director of the TRICARE 
Management Activity are in writing and establish the effective date(s) 
of the uniform formulary actions.
    (h) Obtaining pharmacy services under the pharmacy benefits 
program--(1) Points of service. There are four outpatient pharmacy 
points of service:
    (i) Military Treatment Facilities (MTFs);
    (ii) Retail network pharmacies: Those are non-MTF pharmacies that 
are a part of the network established for TRICARE retail pharmacy 
services;
    (iii) Retail non-network pharmacies: Those are non-MTF pharmacies 
that are not part of the network established for TRICARE retail pharmacy 
services, and
    (iv) the TRICARE Mail Order Pharmacy (TMOP).
    (2) Availability of formulary pharmaceutical agents--(i) General. 
Subject to paragraph (h)(2)(ii) of this section, formulary 
pharmaceutical agents are available under the Pharmacy Benefits Program 
from all of the points of service identified in paragraph (h)(1) of this 
section.
    (ii) Availability of formulary pharmaceutical agents at military 
treatment facilities. Pharmaceutical agents included on the uniform 
formulary are available through MTFs, consistent with the scope of 
health care services offered in such facilities. The Basic Core 
Formulary (BCF) is a subset of the uniform formulary and is a mandatory 
component of all MTF pharmacy formularies. The BCF contains the minimum 
set of pharmaceutical agents that each MTF pharmacy must have on its 
formulary to support the primary care scope of practice for Primary Care 
Manager enrollment sites. Additions to individual MTF formularies are 
determined by local Pharmacy and Therapeutics Committees based on the 
scope of health care services provided at the respective MTFs. All 
pharmaceutical agents on the local MTF formulary must be available to 
all categories of beneficiaries.
    (3) Availability of non-formulary pharmaceutical agents--(i) 
General. Non-formulary pharmaceutical agents are generally available 
under the pharmacy benefits program from the retail network pharmacies, 
retail non-network pharmacies, and the TRICARE Mail

[[Page 344]]

Order Pharmacy (TMOP) at the non-formulary cost-share.
    (ii) Availability of non-formulary pharmaceutical agents at military 
treatment facilities. Although not a beneficiary entitlement, non-
formulary pharmaceutical agents may be made available to eligible 
covered beneficiaries through the MTF pharmacies for prescriptions 
approved through the non-formulary special order process that validates 
the medical necessity for use of the non-formulary pharmaceutical agent.
    (iii) Availability of clinically appropriate non-formulary 
pharmaceutical agents to members of the Uniformed Services. The pharmacy 
benefits program is required to assure the availability of clinically 
appropriate pharmaceutical agents to members of the uniformed services, 
including, where appropriate, agents not included on the uniform 
formulary. Clinically appropriate pharmaceutical agents will be made 
available to members of the Uniformed Services, including, where medical 
necessity has been validated, agents not included on the uniform 
formulary. MTFs shall establish procedures to evaluate the clinical 
necessity of prescriptions written for members of the uniformed services 
for pharmaceutical agents not included on the uniform formulary. If it 
is determined that the prescription is clinically necessary, the MTF 
will provide the pharmaceutical agent to the member.
    (iv) Availability of clinically appropriate pharmaceutical agents to 
other eligible beneficiaries at retail pharmacies or the TMOP. Eligible 
beneficiaries will receive non-formulary pharmaceutical agents at the 
formulary cost-share when medical necessity has been established by the 
beneficiary and/or his/her provider. The peer review provisions of Sec. 
199.15 shall apply to the clinical necessity pre-authorization 
determinations. TRICARE may require that the time for review be 
expedited under the pharmacy benefits program.
    (i) Cost-sharing requirements under the pharmacy benefits program--
(1) General. Under 10 U.S.C. 1074g(a)(6), cost-sharing requirements are 
established in this section for the pharmacy benefits program 
independent of those established under other provisions of this Part. 
Cost-shares under this section partially defray government costs of 
administering the pharmacy benefits program when collected by the 
government for prescriptions dispensed through the retail network 
pharmacies or the TRICARE Mail Order Pharmacy. The higher cost-share 
paid for prescriptions dispensed by a non-network retail pharmacy is 
established to encourage the use of the most economical venue to the 
government. Cost-sharing requirements are based on the classification of 
a pharmaceutical agent as generic, formulary, or non-formulary, in 
conjunction with the point of service from which the agent is acquired.
    (2) Cost-sharing amounts. Active duty members of the uniformed 
services do not pay cost-shares. For other categories of beneficiaries, 
cost-sharing amounts are as follows:
    (i) For pharmaceutical agents obtained from a military treatment 
facility, there is no co-payment.
    (ii) For pharmaceutical agents obtained from a retail network 
pharmacy there is a:
    (A) $9.00 co-payment per prescription required for up to a 30-day 
supply of a formularly pharmaceutical agent.
    (B) $3.00 co-payment per prescription for up to a 30-day supply of a 
generic pharmaceutical agent.
    (C) $22.00 co-payment per prescription for up to a 30-day supply of 
a non-formulary pharmaceutical agent.
    (iii) For formulary and generic pharmaceutical agents obtained from 
a retail non-network pharmacy there is a 20 percent or $9.00 co-payment 
(whichever is greater) per prescription for up to a 30-day supply of the 
pharmaceutical agent.
    (iv) For non-formulary pharmaceutical agents obtained at a retail 
non-network pharmacy there is a 20 percent or $22.00 co-payment 
(whichever is greater) per prescription for up to a 30-day supply of the 
pharmaceutical agent.
    (v) For pharmaceutical agents obtained under the TMOP program there 
is a:
    (A) $9.00 co-payment per prescription for up to a 90-day supply of a 
formulary pharmaceutical agent.

[[Page 345]]

    (B) $3.00 co-payment for up to a 90-day supply of a generic 
pharmaceutical agent.
    (C) $22.00 co-payment for up to a 90-day supply of a non-formulary 
pharmaceutical agent.
    (vi) For TRICARE Prime beneficiaries who obtain prescriptions from 
retail non-network pharmacies, the enrollment year deductible for 
outpatient claims is $300 per individual; $600 per family; and a point 
of service cost-share of 50 percent thereafter applies in lieu of the 20 
percent co-payment.
    (vii) Except as provided in paragraph (h)(2)(viii) of this section, 
for pharmaceutical agents acquired by TRICARE Standard beneficiaries 
from retail non-network pharmacies, beneficiaries are subject to the 
$150.00 per individual or $300.00 maximum per family annual fiscal year 
deductible.
    (viii) Under TRICARE Standard, dependents of members of the 
uniformed services whose pay grade is E-4 or below are subject to the 
$50.00 per indiviudal or $100.00 maximum per family annual fiscal year 
deductible.
    (ix) The TRICARE catastrophic cap limits apply to pharmacy benefits 
program cost-sharing.
    (x) The per prescription co-payments established in this paragraph 
(i)(2) of this section may be adjusted periodically based on experience 
with the uniform formulary, changes in economic circumstances, and other 
appropriate factors. Any such adjustment may be made upon the 
recommendation of the Pharmacy and Therapeutics Committee and approved 
by the Assistant Secretary of Defense (Health Affairs). Any such 
adjusted amount will maintain compliance with the requirements of 10 
U.S.C. 1074g(a)(6).
    (3) Special cost-sharing rule when there is a clinical necessity for 
use of a non-formulary pharmaceutical agent. (i) When there is a 
clinical necessity for the use of a non-formulary pharmaceutical agent 
that is not otherwise excluded as a covered benefit, the pharmaceutical 
agent will be provided at the same co-payment as a formulary 
pharmaceutical agent can be obtained.
    (ii) A clinical necessity for use of a non-formulary pharmaceutical 
agent is established when the beneficiary or their provider submits 
sufficient information to show that one or more of the following 
conditions exist:
    (A) The use of formualry pharmaceutical agents is contraindicated;
    (B) The patient experiences significant adverse effects from 
formulary pharmaceutical agents, or the provider shows that the patient 
is likely to experience significant adverse effects from formulary 
pharmaceutical agents;
    (C) Formulary pharmaceutical agents result in therapeutic failure, 
or the provider shows that the formulary pharmaceutical agent is likely 
to result in therapeutic failure;
    (D) The patient previously responded to a non-formulary 
pharmaceutical agent and changing to a formulary pharmaceutical agent 
would incur unacceptable clinical risk; or
    (E) There is no alternative pharmaceutical agent on the formulary.
    (iii) Information to establish clinical necessity for use of a non-
formulary pharmaceutical agent should be provided to TRICARE for 
prescriptions submitted to a retail network pharmacy.
    (iv) Information to establish clinical necessity for use of a non-
formulary pharmaceutical agent should be provided as part of the claims 
processes for non-formulary pharmaceutical agents obtained through non-
network points of service, claims as a result of other health insurance, 
or any other situations requiring the submission of a manual claim.
    (v) Information to establish clinical necessity for use of a non-
formulary pharmaceutical agent may be provided with the prescription 
submitted to the TMOP contractor.
    (vi) Information to establish clinical necessity for use of a non-
formulary pharmaceutical agent may also be provided at a later date, but 
no later than sixty days from the dispensing date, as an appeal to 
reduce the non-formulary co-payment to the same co-payment as a 
formulary drug.
    (vii) The process of establishing clinical necessity will not 
unnecessarily delay the dispensing of a prescription. In situations 
where clinical necessity cannot be determined in a timely manner, the 
non-formulary pharmaceutical

[[Page 346]]

agent will be dispensed at the non-formulary co-payment and a refund 
provided to the beneficiary should clinical necessity be established.
    (viii) Peer review and appeal and hearing procedures. All levels of 
peer review, appeals, and grievances established by the Contractor for 
internal review shall be exhausted prior to forwarding to TRICARE 
Management Activity for a formal review. Procedures comparable to those 
established under Sec. Sec. 199.15 and 199.10 of this part shall apply. 
If it is determined that the prescription is clinically necessary, the 
pharmaceutical agent will be provided to the beneficiary at the 
formulary cost-share. TRICARE may require that the time periods for peer 
review or for appeal and hearing be expedited under the pharmacy 
benefits program. For purposes of meeting the amount in dispute 
requirement of Sec. 199.10(a)(7), the relevant amount is the difference 
between the cost shares of a formulary versus non-formulary drug. The 
amount for each of multiple prescriptions involving the same drug to 
treat the same medical condition and filled within a 12-month period may 
be combined to meet the required amount in dispute.
    (j) Use of generic drugs under the pharmacy benefits program. (1) 
The designation of a drug as a generic, for the purpose of applying 
cost-shares at the generic rate, will be determined through the use of 
standard pharmaceutical references as part of commercial best business 
practices. Pharmaceutical agents will be designated as generics when 
listed with an ``A'' rating in the current Approved Drug Products with 
Therapeutic Equivalence Evaluations (Orange Book) published by the Food 
and Drug Administration, or any successor to such reference. Generics 
are multisource products that must contain the same active ingredients, 
are of the same dosage form, route of administration and are identical 
in strength or concentration.
    (2) The pharmacy benefits program generally requires mandatory 
substitution of generic drugs listed with an ``A'' rating in the current 
Approved Drug Products with Therapeutic Equivalence Evaluations (Orange 
Book) published by the FDA and generic equivalents of grandfather or 
Drug Efficacy Study Implementation (DESI) category drugs for brand name 
drugs. In cases in which there is a clinical justification for a brand 
name drug in lieu of a generic equivalent, under the standards and 
procedures of paragraph (h)(3) of this section, the generic substitution 
policy is waived.
    (3) When a blanket purchase agreement, incentive price agreement, 
Government contract, or other circumstances results in a brand 
pharmaceutical agent being the most cost effective agent for purchase by 
the Government, the Pharmacy and Therapeutics Committee may also 
designate that the drug be cost-shared at the generic rate.
    (k) Preauthorization of certain pharmaceutical agents. (1) Selected 
pharmaceutical agents may be subject to prior authorization or 
utilization review requirements to assure medical necessity, clinical 
appropriateness and/or cost effectiveness.
    (2) The Pharmacy and Therapeutics Committee will assess the need to 
prior authorize a given agent by considering the relative clinical and 
cost effectiveness of pharmaceutical agents within a therapeutic class. 
Pharmaceutical agents that require prior authorization will be 
identified by a majority vote of the Pharmacy and Therapeutics 
Committee. The Pharmacy and Therapeutics Committee will establish the 
prior authorization criteria for the pharamaceutical agent.
    (3) Prescriptions for pharmaceutical agents for which prior 
authorization criteria are not met will not be cost-shared under the 
TRICARE pharmacy benefits program.
    (4) The Director, TRICARE Management Activity, may issue policies, 
procedures, instructions, guidelines, standards or criteria to implement 
this paragraph (k).
    (l) TRICARE Senior Pharmacy Program. Section 711 of the Floyd D. 
Spence National Defense Authorization Act for Fiscal Year 2001 (Public 
Law 106-398, 114 Stat. 1654A-175) established the TRICARE Senior 
Pharmacy Program for Medicare eligible beneficiaries effective April 1, 
2001. These beneficiaries are required to meet the eligibility criteria 
as prescribed in

[[Page 347]]

Sec. 199.3 of this part. The benefit under the TRICARE Senior Pharmacy 
Program applies to prescription drugs and medicines provided on or after 
April 1, 2001.
    (m) Effect of other health insurance. The double coverage rules of 
Sec. 199.8 of this part are applicable to services provided under the 
pharmacy benefits program. For this purpose, to the extent they provide 
a prescription drug benefit, Medicare supplemental insurance plans or 
Medicare HMO plans are double coverage plans and will be the primary 
payor. Beneficiaries who elect to use this pharmacy benefits shall 
provide DoD with other health insurance information.
    (n) Procedures. The Director, TRICARE Management Activity shall 
establish procedures for the effective operation of the pharmacy 
benefits program. Such procedures may include restrictions of the 
quantity of pharmaceuticals to be included under the benefit, 
encouragement of the use of generic drugs, implementation of quality 
assurance and utilization management activities, and other appropriate 
matters.
    (o) Preemption of State laws. (1) Pursuant to 10 U.S.C. 1103, the 
Department of Defense has determined that in the administration of 10 
U.S.C. chapter 55, preemption of State and local laws relating to health 
insurance, prepaid health plans, or other health care delivery or 
financing methods is necessary to achieve important Federal interests, 
including but not limited to the assurance of uniform national health 
programs for military families and the operation of such programs at the 
lowest possible cost to the Department of Defense, that have a direct 
and substantial effect on the conduct of military affairs and national 
security policy of the United States.
    (2) Based on the determination set forth in paragraph (o)(1) of this 
section, any State or local law relating to health insurance, prepaid 
health plans, or other health care delivery or financing methods is 
preempted and does not apply in connection with TRICARE pharmacy 
contracts. Any such law, or regulation pursuant to such law, is without 
any force or effect, and State or local governments have no legal 
authority to enforce them in relation to the TRICARE pharmacy contracts. 
However, the Department of Defense may by contract establish legal 
obligations on the part of TRICARE contractors to conform with 
requirements similar or identical to requirements of State or local laws 
or regulations.
    (3) The preemption of State and local laws set forth in paragraph 
(o)(1) of this section includes State and local laws imposing premium 
taxes on health or dental insurance carriers or underwriters or other 
plan managers, or similar taxes on such entities. Such laws are laws 
relating to health insurance, prepaid health plans, or other health care 
delivery or financing methods, within the meaning of the statutes 
identified in paragraph (o)(1) of this section. Preemption, however, 
does not apply to taxes, fees, or other payments on net income or profit 
realized by such entities in the conduct of business relating to DoD 
pharmacy services contracts, if those taxes, fees or other payments are 
applicable to a broad range of business activity. For purposes of 
assessing the effect of Federal preemption of State and local taxes and 
fees in connection with DoD pharmacy services contracts, interpretations 
shall be consistent with those applicable to the Federal Employees 
Health Benefits Program under 5 U.S.C. 8909(f).
    (p) General fraud, abuse, and conflict of interest requirements 
under TRICARE pharmacy benefits program. All fraud, abuse, and conflict 
of interest requirements for the basic CHAMPUS program, as set forth in 
this part 199 (see applicable provisions of Sec. 199.9 of this part) 
are applicable to the TRICARE pharmacy benefits program. Some methods 
and procedures for implementing and enforcing these requirements may 
differ from the methods and procedures followed under the basic CHAMPUS 
program.

[69 FR 17048, Apr. 1, 2004]