Absolute and relative morbidity burdens attributable to various illnesses and injuries, non-service member beneficiaries of the Military Health System, 2013.
Publication Status: Published
Sponsoring Organization: Defense Health Agency (formerly TRICARE Management Activity)
Sponsoring Office: Armed Forces Health Surveillance Center
Congressionally Mandated: No
Funding Source: Defense Health Agency (formerly TRICARE Management Activity)
Release Date/Publication:
Principle Investigator Status: Government
Primary DoD Data Source: Military Health System (MHS) Data Repository
Secondary DoD Data Source:
Abstract
Individuals who are eligible for care through the Military Health System (MHS) (“beneficiaries”) include family members of active component service members, family members of National Guard and Reserve service members, and retirees and eligible family members of retirees. In 2013, there were approximately 1.98 million active component family members, 550,000 Guard/Reserve family members, and 5.29 million retirees and their family members eligible for medical care from the MHS. Some beneficiaries of MHS care do not enroll in the healthcare plans provided by the MHS (e.g., if they use insurance through their own employment); also, some of those who are enrolled do not seek care through the MHS. MHS beneficiaries may receive care from resources provided directly by the Uniformed Services (i.e., military medical treatment facilities [MTFs]) or from civilian healthcare resources (i.e., outsourced [purchased] care) that supplement direct military medical care.
In 2013, approximately 6.8 million individuals utilized inpatient or outpatient services provided by the MHS. In the population of MHS care recipients in 2013, there were more females (58%) than males (42%) and more infants, children, and adolescents (<20 years: n=1.9 million; 28.9%) and more seniors (65 years or older: n=1.8 million; 26.1%) than younger (20–44 years: n=1.4 million; 20.1%) or older (45–64 years: n=1.7 million; 24.9%) adults. Since 1998, the MSMR has published annual summaries of the numbers and rates of hospitalizations and outpatient medical encounters to assess the healthcare “burdens” of 16 categories of illnesses and injuries among active component military members. This year, for the first time and using similar methodology, this report quantifies the illnesses and injuries among non-service members who received care in the MHS in 2013. Healthcare burden estimates are stratified by direct versus outsourced care and across four age groups of healthcare recipients.
Citation:
AFHSC. Absolute and relative morbidity burdens attributable to various illnesses and injuries, non-service member beneficiaries of the Military Health System, 2013. MSMR. 2014 Apr;21(4):23-30; discussion 30.