A theoretical perspective using resource dependency to predict the potential migration of Medicare-eligible military beneficiaries into the Department of Defense's Managed Care System.

TRICARE for Life (TFL) became effective on October 1, 2001. On that date, approximately 1.5 million Medicare-eligible military beneficiaries (MEMB) regained health care reimbursement privileges resulting in significantly reduced individual out-of-pocket costs. TFL acts as a secondary payer to an eligible beneficiary's Medicare or other health insurance. Currently, TFL beneficiaries are allowed to remain in their current health care system. However, early discussions of Public Law 106-398 recommended that MEMB seek care at military treatment facilities. The return of MEMB to military treatment facilities may have presented a number of management challenges to leaders of the Military Health System. This article applies resource dependence theory to the issue of MEMB returning to military treatment facilities under the TFL program. Resource dependency theory and a conceptual model assist in identifying a number of challenges that may adversely affect MEMB in future years should this option ever become a reality.