Our DHA OGC legal professionals include:
- Attorneys
- Paralegals
- Investigators
- Administrative personnel
- Claims experts
- Other individuals
We provide legal counsel in a wide range of matters including:
- Direct care and legal support to military medical and dental treatment facilities
- TRICARE and private sector care
- Labor and employment law
- Congressional correspondence and strategic communications
- Medical research and development
- Combat support operations
- General litigation
- Public Health
- Freedom of Information Act
- Ethics
- Government contracting
We also manage the TRICARE Appeals and Hearings system.
DHA OGC branches report to the DHA general counsel through a principal deputy general counsel, two deputy general counsels, and branch chiefs. These include:
- Management and Administration Branch
- Direct Care Legal Support Branch
- TRICARE Branch
- Litigation Branch
- Labor and Employment Law Branch
- Ethics Branch
- Medical Research and Development Branch
- Contract Law/Information Technology/Headquarters/Program Management Support Branch
- Contract Law/Military Medical Treatment Facility Support Branch
- Fraud and Penalties Branch
Appeals, Hearings, and Claims Collections Division
The Appeals, Hearings, and Claims Collections Division is responsible for the following:
Subpoenas
The Office of General Counsel accepts subpoenas and requests for medical claim records. However, OGC is not able to accept subpoenas from state courts because these courts do not have jurisdiction over the federal government.
Formal Review Process
Reviews and determines legal sufficiency of adverse contractor decisions on beneficiary claims. Issues decisions based on medical review, application of law and regulation, or other agency review.
Recoupment Process
The office represents the DHA/DOD in all hearings before an independent hearing officer. We also administer the recoupment process which involves numerous actions required to collect outstanding beneficiary and provider debts as mandated by the Federal Claims Collection Act and the Federal Medical Care Recovery Act.