Senate and House Provisions for the FY 2018 National Defense Authorization Act

House (H.R. 2810) / Senate(S. 1519) / FINAL NDAA
Section 601—Annual Adjustment of Basic Monthly PayThis section would direct that the rates of basic pay under section 203(a) of title 37, United States Code, be increased in accordance with section 1009 of title 37, United States Code, notwithstanding a determination made by the President (= 2.4% raise) / Fiscal year 2018 increase in military basic pay (sec. 601)The committee recommends a provision that would authorize apay raise of 2.1 percent for all members of the uniformed serviceseffective January 1, 2018.
Adjustment to Basic Allowance for Housing at with-dependents rate of certain members of the uniformed services (sec. 603) The committee recommends a provision that would amend section 403 of title 37, United States Code, to eliminate the with-dependents rate for the Basic Allowance for Housing (BAH) in the case of married members of the uniformed services who are co-located and who have dependents.
Section 503—Equal Treatment of Orders To Serve on Active Duty under Section 12304a and 12304b of Title 10, United States Code
amend sections 1074(d)(2) and 1145(a) of title 10, United States Code, to authorize Reserve Component members activated under the authority provided by either section 12304a or 12304b of title 10, United States Code, to receive pre-mobilization and transitional TRICARE health care.
House (H.R. 2810) / Senate (S. 1519) / FINAL NDAA
Section 621—Findings and Sense of Congress regarding the Special Survivor Indemnity Allowance This section would express the sense of Congress that the Special Survivor Indemnity Allowance was created as a stop gap measure to assist widowed spouses by reducing the Survivor Benefit Plan/ Dependency Indemnity Compensation offset required by law. This section would also state that the dollar-for-dollar reduction in payment to surviving spouses should be fully repealed at the first opportunity. / Permanent extension and cost-of-living adjustments of Special Survivor Indemnity Allowances under the survivor benefit plan (sec. 638) The committee recommends a provision that would permanently extend the authority to pay the Special Survivor Indemnity Allowance and would require inflation adjustments to that Allowance by the amount of the military retired pay cost-of-living adjustment for each calendar year beginning in 2019.
Modifications of cost-sharing requirements for the TRICARE Pharmacy Benefits Program and treatment of certain pharmaceutical agents (Sec. 706)With this provision, beneficiaries would continue to receive pharmaceuticals at no cost in MTFs. For years 2018 through 2020, the cost-share amount for up to a 90-day supply of a generic pharmaceutical agent dispensed through the mail order pharmacy would be $10. Cost-share increases are also proposed for brand name and non-formulary pharmaceuticals as well. No copay changes for survivors of members who died on Active Duty or for disabled retirees and their family members.
Consolidation of cost-sharing requirements under TRICARE Select and TRICARE Prime (sec. 707) to consolidate cost-sharingrequirements under TRICARE Prime and Select. This provision would eliminate the grandfathering of cost-sharing requirements for beneficiaries enrolled in the TRICARE program prior to January 1, 2018, as authorized in section 701 of the National Defense Authorization Act for Fiscal Year 2017

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