WASHINGTON — Ahead of the Fiscal Year 2026 (FY26) National Defense Authorization Act (NDAA) Senate markup, U.S. Senator Martin Heinrich (D-N.M.) introduced the TRICARE Travel Improvement Act, legislation to ensure active-duty servicemembers and their families can be reimbursed for traveling for medical care.
Currently, families stationed at White Sands Missile Range and Holloman Air Force Base travel nearly 100 miles to El Paso, Texas, for medical care, but are denied reimbursement because they are just under the 100-mile threshold. Heinrich’s TRICARE Travel Improvement Act will ensure fairness for military families serving in remote areas by lowering the travel reimbursement threshold under TRICARE Prime from 100 miles to 50 miles for active-duty servicemembers and their families.
“Servicemembers and their families stationed at White Sands Missile Range and Holloman Air Force Base shouldn’t have to pay out of pocket just to access basic medical care. My legislation cuts needless red tape so they can be reimbursed for travel and get the care they’ve earned. I’m fighting to include this commonsense fix in the National Defense Authorization Act to ensure all our servicemembers and military families can access the high-quality care they deserve.”
The legislation is led by Heinrich in the Senate. In the House, the legislation is led by U.S. Representative Gabe Vasquez (D-N.M.).
The text of the bill is here.
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