To increase the period of continued TRICARE coverage of children of members of the uniformed services who die while serving on active duty for a period of more than 30 days.

1. Adds SEC. __. INCREASED PERIOD OF CONTINUED TRICARE COVERAGE OF CHILDREN OF MEMBERS OF THE UNIFORMED SERVICES WHO DIE WHILE SERVING ON ACTIVE DUTY FOR A PERIOD OF MORE THAN 30 DAYS wherever appropriate

   Adds a section

   Inserted: SEC. __. INCREASED PERIOD OF CONTINUED TRICARE COVERAGE OF CHILDREN OF MEMBERS OF THE UNIFORMED SERVICES WHO DIE WHILE SERVING ON ACTIVE DUTY FOR A PERIOD OF MORE THAN 30 DAYS.

   Inserted: (a) Period of Eligibility.--Section 1079(g) of title 10, United States Code, is amended--

   Inserted: (1) by inserting "(1)" after "(g)"; and

   Inserted: (2) by striking the second sentence and inserting the following:

   Inserted: "(2) In addition to any continuation of eligibility for benefits under paragraph (1), when a member dies while on active duty for a period of more than 30 days, the member's dependents who are receiving benefits under a plan covered by subsection (a) shall continue to be eligible for such benefits during the three-year period beginning on the date of the member's death, except that, in the case of such a dependent who is a child of the deceased, the period of continued eligibility shall be the longer of the following periods beginning on such date:

   Inserted: "(A) Three years.

   Inserted: "(B) The period ending on the date on which the child attains 21 years of age.

   Inserted: "(C) In the case of a child of the deceased who, at 21 years of age, is enrolled in a full-time course of study in a secondary school or in a full-time course of study in an institution of higher education approved by the administering Secretary and was, at the time of the member's death, in fact dependent on the member for over one-half of the child's support, the period ending on the earlier of the following dates:

   Inserted: "(i) The date on which the child ceases to pursue such a course of study, as determined by the administering Secretary.

   Inserted: "(ii) The date on which the child attains 23 years of age.

   Inserted: "(3) For the purposes of paragraph (2)(C), a child shall be treated as being enrolled in a full-time course of study in an institution of higher education during any reasonable period of transition between the child's completion of a full-time course of study in a secondary school and the commencement of an enrollment in a full-time course of study in an institution of higher education, as determined by the administering Secretary.

   Inserted: "(4) No charge may be imposed for any benefits coverage under this chapter that is provided for a child for a period of continued eligibility under paragraph (2), or for any benefits provided to such child during such period under that coverage.".

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   Inserted: (b) Effective Date.--The amendments made by this section shall take effect as of October 1, 2001, and shall apply with respect to deaths occurring on or after such date.

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   Original wording

   At the appropriate place, insert the following:

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As printed