Editor’s Note: This article is part of MOAA’s 2026-27 TRICARE Guide, brought to you by MOAA Insurance Plans, administered by Association Member Benefits Advisors (AMBA). A version of the guide appeared in the November 2026 issue of Military Officer magazine. 

At the end of each year, MOAA’s Government Relations team assesses the legislative and policy landscape and establishes advocacy priorities for the year ahead. Because meaningful legislative and policy changes often require sustained effort, many priorities carry over from year to year.

MOAA must also be prepared to respond when new issues emerge. During the 119th Congress, two developments involving the military health system (MHS) became priority issues for MOAA.

First, coverage for certain GLP-1 medications was unexpectedly eliminated for TRICARE For Life (TFL) beneficiaries. Second, MOAA received indications that significant changes to TRICARE could be under consideration.

On Aug. 31, 2025, the TRICARE Pharmacy Program unexpectedly ceased coverage for certain GLP-1 medications for TFL beneficiaries. The decision was unprecedented in that it excluded a single beneficiary category from coverage for certain prescription drugs.

[RELATED: New Medicare GLP-1 Program Excludes TRICARE For Life Beneficiaries]

Since the announcement, MOAA has held multiple meetings with Defense Health Agency (DHA) officials and Pentagon leaders, and the association continues to advocate for reversal of the policy. We are also working to identify a champion in Congress to lead efforts to restore GLP-1 coverage for TFL beneficiaries.

Meanwhile, a provision in the Senate Armed Services Committee’s markup of the FY 2027 National Defense Authorization Act (NDAA) for a study on the MHS indicates major changes to TRICARE are in contemplation. While there are no current proposals for TRICARE reform, MOAA is monitoring the issue and is preparing for a quick response as the situation develops.

Addressing Access-to-Care Problems

As the 119th Congress draws to a close, improving access to care has remained MOAA’s top military health care priority. Top senior enlisted leaders for the Air Force, Army, Marine Corps, Navy, and Space Force underscored the importance of this issue at a February congressional hearing, telling lawmakers that access to health care is the top complaint they hear from servicemembers.

[RELATED: Senators Question Whether Military Pharmacy Program Is the Best Deal for Beneficiaries]

With a mission to represent beneficiaries, MOAA has limited visibility into the root causes of MHS access-to-care challenges. Our advocacy therefore focuses on practical solutions that can help beneficiaries navigate the MHS, expanding flexibility for self-directed care outside of military treatment facilities (MTFs), and improving transparency and accountability on access-to-care problems.

MOAA made significant progress against these goals with the introduction of the bipartisan Military Care Access, Reporting, and Evaluation (Military CARE) Act. This bill would:

• Address access-to-care gaps by creating a secure, standardized digital platform for TRICARE beneficiaries to submit and monitor care concerns.
• Require real-time notifications to patient advocates.
• Direct the DHA to analyze complaint trends quarterly.
• Require annual reports to Congress detailing access challenges and corrective actions.

[RELATED: NDAA Provision Would Help Remove Health Care Barriers]

MOAA worked with the office of Rep. Steven Horsford (D-Nev.) to develop this legislation, which Reps. Jen Kiggans (R-Va.), Chrissy Houlahan (D-Pa.), and Don Bacon (R-Neb.) also led.

In addition, MOAA members took the Military CARE Act to Capitol Hill during our spring Advocacy in Action event, raising awareness about access-to-care problems and urging lawmakers to support the legislation. As of this writing, there is a path forward for the Military CARE Act through the FY 2027 National Defense Authorization Act (NDAA). The legislation is included in the Senate Armed Services Committee’s markup, and MOAA is working to ensure the language is included in the final version of the annual defense authorization bill.

Additional Priorities

MOAA also continues to advocate for several other military health care priorities as Congress works on the FY 2027 NDAA, including:

• Continued congressional oversight of MTF restructuring plans.
• Improvements to maternal care access and TRICARE fertility treatment coverage.
• Independent oversight of the TRICARE Pharmacy Program.
• Monitoring of implementation progress of TRICARE’s Autism Care Demonstration recommendations from the National Academies of Sciences, Engineering, and Medicine.

MOAA members play a critical role in advancing all of the above priorities. Please join MOAA’s advocacy efforts by visiting our Legislative Action Center, where you can contact your elected officials and find other tools to help make your voice heard on Capitol Hill.