This bill makes healthcare coverage free for members of the military reserves. Right now, reserve members who want health insurance through TRICARE Reserve Select have to pay premiums (monthly fees) for coverage. This bill eliminates those premiums entirely for individual reserve members—meaning they get healthcare at no cost to them.

For family members of reserve members, the bill keeps a premium requirement, but sets it at 28 percent of the actual cost of providing that coverage. This is designed to be more affordable than current rates. Reserve members can have these family premiums automatically deducted from their paychecks. If a reserve member dies while covered, their family members can keep their health insurance for six additional months at no cost.

The bill also removes most out-of-pocket costs (like copays and deductibles) when reserve members use doctors and hospitals within the TRICARE network. If they go out-of-network, they'll pay the same costs as active-duty family members do. The changes take effect one year after the bill becomes law. Additionally, the bill requires the Department of Defense to create new forms for civilian doctors to use when treating reserve members, so they can track important information like whether the service member is ready for deployment.