A bipartisan House bill introduced Dec. 17 would require the Pentagon to establish a digital system designed to improve access to care at military treatment facilities (MTFs) by providing greater data and transparency on beneficiary access challenges – a key MOAA legislative priority.

The Military Care Access, Reporting, and Evaluation (CARE) Act (H.R. 6796) mandates a system that:

• Allows all TRICARE beneficiaries to submit and track a complaint about MTF barriers to accessing care.
• Sends access complaints to the proper patient advocate.
• Aggregates those complaints for use by the Defense Health Agency (DHA) to help officials address widespread problems.

[TAKE ACTION: Ask Your House Member to Support the Military CARE Act]

“Without reliable data and transparency, access-to-care problems in the military health system remain unseen and unresolved,” MOAA President and CEO Lt. Gen. Brian T. Kelly, USAF (Ret), said in a press release announcing the bill’s introduction. “The Military CARE Act ensures beneficiary experiences are captured, tracked, and reported – giving leaders and Congress the visibility needed to identify systemic issues and drive meaningful, lasting improvements for military families.”

The bill, sponsored by Reps. Steven Horsford (D-Nev.), Jen Kiggans (R-Va.), Chrissy Houlahan (D-Pa.), and Don Bacon (R-Neb.), also requires reports on the most common access-to-care complaint filed at each MTF, along with deeper looks into specialty and pediatric care. It also mandates each facility provide “a summary of steps taken … to reduce access to care complaints by covered beneficiaries.”

The Military CARE Act is the result of grassroots efforts – MOAA took this issue to Capitol Hill as part of the 2025 Advocacy in Action event. MOAA members from across the nation converged on Washington, D.C., in April to meet with lawmakers and advance our legislative agenda, including improving access to health care for military families.

Why This System Matters

Military families face multiple hurdles navigating a complex health care benefit – everything from frequent PCS moves to an unstable military health system. Many reach a new duty station only to be greeted by MTF appointment shortages and referral delays … and patient-advocacy resources at these facilities vary widely across the force.

The establishment of a systemwide digital platform would help all beneficiaries know where to go with their complaints, ensure their issues are forwarded to individuals who can help them secure their earned health care benefit, and compile data to help DHA leaders and Congress address problems – whether it’s a single MTF facing a series of challenges or a forcewide issue faced by beneficiaries in multiple locations.

[RELATED: MOAA's TRICARE Guide]

Congress mandated a similar system in 2019 to address military family housing concerns amid increased reports of hazardous living conditions. The DoD Housing Feedback System offers a centralized database for tenant complaints, landlord responses, and actionable data that can shed light on widespread problems.

“This bipartisan bill gives military families a real voice, gives providers the tools to respond quickly, and gives Congress the oversight needed to ensure servicemembers and their loved ones are never left behind,” Horsford said in the press release. “When we support our families, we strengthen the entire force.”

Existing systems, such as the Interactive Customer Evaluation (ICE) application, may field some TRICARE access-related complaints, but they are used infrequently, lack consistency in how submissions are handled, and have few reporting mandates. The establishment of a complete, transparent reporting platform will offer beneficiaries the tool they need to ensure their service-earned benefit is fully provided.

“Our military families deserve timely care and a clear path to raise concerns when the system falls short,” Bacon said in the release. “The Military CARE Act gives servicemembers and their families a direct line to report care access issues and track their resolution, while ensuring Congress has the data needed to identify and fix systemic problems across the military health system.”

Alongside MOAA, the bill is supported by military and veterans organizations such as AMVETS, the National Military Family Association, the TRICARE for Kids Coalition, and Vietnam Veterans of America.  You can add your voice to the cause by reaching out to your House member today via our Legislative Action Center and asking them to back the Military CARE Act.