Earlier this year we alerted you to an issue that limited thousands of federal employees’ access to healthcare in Japan. Department of Defense (DOD) regulations require military treatment facilities (MTFs) to prioritize active-duty servicemembers and other TRICARE patients as a first priority. The Defense Health Agency (DHA), which now controls MTFs, determined those facilities were not providing enough appointments for these recipients, leading to a reiteration of the policy that civilians are treated on a “space-available” basis, and changes to what “space available” means.

At the beginning of the year, the original decision significantly reduced healthcare options for nearly 6,000 DOD civilians in Japan. FMA reached out to Sen. Elizabeth Warren (D-MA), Chairman of the Senate Armed Services Subcommittee on Personnel, who took leadership on the issue and wrote the Pentagon to express concerns and ask for more information.

In March, the DHA rescinded its policy and said DOD civilians may again seek treatment at base hospitals for chronic conditions such as diabetes and high blood pressure, still on a “space available” basis. The March DHA memo instructs military hospitals to use “standard processes” to find room to treat “the greatest number of patients” as possible. The change regarding chronic care immediately helped civilians find treatment for routine care, renew prescriptions, and get referrals. People called the new decision a “step in the right direction” but still see challenges in getting the care they need.

The FMA national office will continue to monitor developments and keep you apprised.