TRICARE to Require Formal Rule Making Process Before Occupational Therapy Assistants Designated as Providers

On December 12, 2017, the President signed into law the National Defense Authorization Act for FY 2018 (NDAA). This bill, for the first time, designated occupational therapy assistants (OTAs) and physical therapist assistants (PTAs) as providers under the Civilian Health and Medical Program for the Uniformed Services (CHAMPUS), or TRICARE. TRICARE is the major health care program for service members, their families, and certain military retirees. This law did not immediately