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TRICARE'S HEALTH Program Teaches Healthy Habits


Major General Elder Granger, MC
USA Deputy Director
TRICARE Management Activity

Obesity is one of the leading causes of preventable death in the United States, posing a significant health risk to all Americans. The Department of Defense and the military health system realize the military community is not immune to this problem. While men and women in uniform have traditionally been models of robust health and physical fitness, staggering statistics prove we must now face the challenge as a force, a family and a nation.

Thirteen percent of active duty servicemembers are obese (a BMI of 30 or higher) and more than 60 percent are overweight (a BMI between 25 and 29.9). A sample of health records of DoD-dependent children seen in military treatment facilities demonstrated that 18.9 percent of military children ages 6-18 were obese, which is slightly higher than the incidence of overweight and obesity among children in the general American population. Preventing these unhealthy behaviors is critical to our mission and the health of our military community.

Obesity is costly to our military health system and ultimately to our mission readiness. DoD spends nearly $1 billion each year in excess medical costs related to obesity. The health impact of obesity on our military population includes: increased musculoskeletal injury; daytime sleepiness; heat injury; military fitness test failure; surgical risk; and depression and suicide. Excess weight is also associated with decreased wound healing caused by injuries.

To combat this epidemic, we launched the Healthy Eating and Active Living in TRICARE Households (HEALTH) program. TRICARE Prime non-active duty beneficiaries who live in Indiana, Illinois, Michigan and Ohio are eligible for the demonstration project. They must be between ages 18 to 64, with a body mass index between 25 and 51.

The HEALTH program's focus is on building healthier communities and strengthening our military families through education, intervention and treatment. Through the program, participants learn how to reach their desired weight and lead a healthier life through behavior modification, and by targeting diet and exercise for 12 months. As such, program participants have access to HEALTH material via automated telephone messages, the Internet, interactive behavioral support and education. If primary care managers prescribe FDA-approved medications to HEALTH participants, TRICARE will share the cost of these drugs, when purchased through the TRICARE Mail Order Pharmacy.

We will use the data collected during the demonstration project to determine the feasibility and usefulness of a weight management benefit for all TRICARE beneficiaries. TRICARE continues to examine ways to enhance the benefit and deliver the best possible health care to our services members, retirees and their families.