After ceasing the service at the hospital in late 2014, TRICARE recently has agreed to allow its military beneficiaries to use the Gov. Juan F. Luis Hospital for all routine and elective procedures, according to JFL.
The decision comes on the heels of a recent inspection by the Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services, which decided in January to maintain certification for the time being. On Jan. 4, CMS advised the hospital it had retained certification but still needs to make changes. (See Related Links below)
TRICARE suspended services for its members in late 2014 following concerns raised by CMS officials during an August 2014 survey. In January, TRICARE officials met with JFL executives and toured the hospital, assessing its services. Once the decision was made by CMS to retain JFL’s certification, TRICARE immediately lifted the suspension.
“The reinstatement of TRICARE affords the members and beneficiaries of our cherished military personnel access to acute care, diagnostic services and treatment without the inconvenience of traveling off-island,” said Dr. Mavis Matthew, JFL’s chief medical officer.
TRICARE is the health care program for almost 9.5 million beneficiaries worldwide, including active duty service members, National Guard and Reserve members, retirees, their families, survivors, certain former spouses, Medal of Honor recipients, their families and others.
Lt. Gov. Osbert Potter and Veterans Affairs Director Patrick Farrell also met with TRICARE officials in January to discuss the reinstatement of services for its beneficiaries at JFL.
