GAO: Military Families With Special-Needs Dependents Face Barriers to TRICARE ECHO Care; DOD Hasn’t Reviewed Coverage

GAO reports that military families with special-needs dependents face challenges accessing additional TRICARE Extended Care Health Option (ECHO) services, including the ECHO Home Health Care benefit for homebound enrollees with complex medical needs. GAO also found DOD has not reviewed ECHO coverage, raising concerns about whether benefits align with families’ needs and are consistently accessible.