GAO Report Finds Gaps in Mental Health Screenings for TRICARE Mothers

Roughly half of active-duty service members giving birth in military facilities received all recommended perinatal mental health screenings, according to a new government review. However, the Department of Defense is not currently monitoring how often these screenings occur across its healthcare system, raising concerns about the consistency and quality of care for TRICARE beneficiaries during and after pregnancy.

The report, issued by the Government Accountability Office (GAO), analyzed data from fiscal year 2022 and found that 52 percent of service members who delivered in military medical treatment facilities received all three recommended screenings. These assessments are designed to detect mental health issues like depression and anxiety, which are common during the perinatal period. While every service member in the study was screened at least once, only about half received care that fully aligned with the Defense Health Agency’s (DHA) protocols.

For TRICARE beneficiaries who received care outside military facilities, the screening rates were notably lower. In reviews conducted by DHA contractors, only 30 percent of those delivering in the private sector were screened even once, and just 6 percent received multiple screenings. The GAO found that DHA neither tracks the frequency of these screenings nor requires its contractors to do so, despite identifying screening as a primary method of prevention.

The Defense Health Agency oversees TRICARE, which provides healthcare to about 9.5 million people, including approximately 89,000 childbirths in fiscal year 2023. The GAO’s findings stem from a sample of 291 medical records from military hospitals and follow a congressional mandate to examine perinatal mental health practices within the armed forces. The report highlighted that missed screenings could leave mental health conditions undetected and untreated, potentially impacting military readiness and family well-being.

In response to the findings, GAO issued two recommendations: one urging DHA to monitor screening frequency in military hospitals, and another advising oversight of contractor compliance in private-sector settings. The Defense Department partially concurred with both suggestions, though implementation details remain pending.

Article by multiple RFHC contributors, based upon information from the U.S. Government Accountability Office (GAO) press release

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