DoD and VA join forces to increase electronic health information security

The two agencies are the latest to join TEFCA following the Indian Health Service, which joined in 2024.

November 6, 2026 1:38 pm

< a min read

The Defense Department and the Department of Veterans Affairs are joining the Trusted Exchange Framework and Common Agreement, or TEFCA, to increase interoperability and security of electronic health information. The two agencies are the latest to join TEFCA following the Indian Health Service, which joined in 2024. Leslie Sofocleous, director of VA’s Federal Electronic Health Record Modernization office, says the move will give service members, veterans and families secure access to their health information across providers.
Troops and their families who enroll in a TRICARE Select plan will see higher deductibles in 2027. If you’re covered by TRICARE, it’s time to take a look at what health care will cost you next year. The Defense Department has released its 2027 rates. What you pay will depend on your plan, beneficiary category and when the service member joined the military. For young adult dependents, monthly premiums will be nearly $900 for TRICARE Prime and $394 for Select. Prescription drug copays, however, aren’t changing. The new rates are worth reviewing as beneficiaries make decisions about their coverage for 2027.
— Rachel S. Cohen
The U.S. Patent and Trademark Office is trying to tackle a growing backlog of patent applications. The agency is having examiners review more submissions, while also decreasing their training requirements. But declining staffing will likely prevent the agency from reaching its goal, according to a new report from the Government Accountability Office. Since 2025, USPTO has seen high attrition among employees who examine patent applications. GAO warns that the agency’s current strategy could cause even more patent examiners to leave their jobs.
— Drew Friedman

Lawmakers on the House Select Committee on China are demanding answers from the Air Force about its decision to eliminate all civilian positions at the service’s premier think tank dedicated to studying Chinese aerospace. In a letter to Air Force Secretary Troy Meink, the lawmakers said that losing the China Aerospace Studies Institute’s expertise could “undermine the ability of military leaders and civilian policymakers to understand the [People’s Republic of China’s] aerospace strategy and capabilities and deter Beijing from using them in a military conflict.” The letter comes after the Air Force announced it would no longer assign civilian positions to the institute as a part of the ongoing civilian restructure within Air Education and Training Command. The lawmakers requested a briefing by Nov. 20 on the service’s resourcing and personnel decisions affecting the institute.
— Anastasia Obis
Most military families would still recommend military service to someone they care about, but child care shortages, spouse employment challenges and lack of mental health support are weighing heavily on military families. That is according to the Military Family Advisory Network’s latest analysis of military family life. The survey found that nearly half of currently serving families are experiencing food insecurity, and close to nine in 10 families deal with a housing burden. Nearly 50% of families said that insufficient child care affected household employment. Despite those challenges, nearly 70% of respondents say they would recommend military service.
— Anastasia Obis
Just days ahead of Open Season, a lawsuit is seeking to overturn a ban on gender-affirming care coverage. In a case against the Office of Personnel Management, plaintiffs have filed a preliminary injunction request with the court. They say the agency’s coverage ban, if continued, will cause irreparable harm to transgender federal employees. OPM has directed all carriers in the government’s health insurance market to cease coverage of gender-affirming care beginning in 2027. The lawsuit, initially filed in August, alleges that OPM’s coverage ban violates Title VII of the 1964 Civil Rights Act.
— Drew Friedman
New guidance from the Cybersecurity and Infrastructure Security Agency and its partners is encouraging agencies to assess vendor readiness ahead of the post-quantum cryptography migration. The guidance, “Post-Quantum Questions to Ask Your Vendors,” offers prompts related to vendors’ inventories, risk assessments, systems prioritization and implementation of PQC algorithms. CISA says as agencies rely on third-party vendors, they must ensure their vendors understand quantum-related risks. Agencies are also encouraged to start conversations with vendors about their PQC readiness early and often to stay ahead of the quantum threat.
— Silvia Oakland
The Justice Department’s new Super Intelligence Task Force is charged with coordinating the use and oversight of artificial intelligence across the agency. The department outlined the task force’s six focus areas in a memo issued Thursday. Among the task force’s initial duties will be to organize the department’s criminal and civil law enforcement efforts involving AI. The task force also will deconflict investigations, cases and other matters among department components and U.S. attorneys’ offices by applying AI tools. The department will merge its current Artificial Intelligence Task Force, created in January, into the new one.
— Jason Miller
The Defense Intelligence Agency is kicking off its next multi-billion-dollar analysis contract vehicle. The DIA’s fourth iteration of its Solutions for Intelligence Analysis or SIA multiple award contract vehicle is testing the waters to see if there are enough vendors to support their requirements. In a new request for information, DIA wants to make SIA 4 a classified contract, meaning vendors will need to possess and maintain an active Top Secret (TS) level Facility Clearance. SIA 4 will be a 5-year base contract with a 5-year option and include a total ceiling of about $17 billions. Responses to the RFI are due by November 24 and DIA expects to host an industry event in early 2027.
— Jason Miller
Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth says he will keep pushing the Trump administration’s military agenda, even as Democrats prepare to take control of Congress in January. Hegseth defended the war in Iran in a post-election video Thursday. Vice President JD Vance has called the war a major reason Republicans lost ground in the midterms. The secretary also defended his rollback of diversity initiatives and other policies and called on lawmakers to approve a $1.5 trillion defense budget. Meanwhile, Rep. Thomas Massie (R-Ky.) plans to call for Hegseth’s impeachment next week.
— Rachel S. Cohen