I admit it. I'm getting kind of sick of people lavishing praise on Tricare and military health care in general (that includes Jon Stewart and Bill Kristol). My husband is actually in the Navy, full time, and we have Tricare Prime. It is managed by a private health insurer which has the same profit motive and shady claims practices as other private insurers. And over the last ten years, we've had significant problems with Tricare paying claims and even getting access to care.
Years ago, military service members and their families had CHAMPUS or CHAMPVA which was set up like Medicare with copays, deductibles and complete freedom of choice in physicians. Now we have an HMO style plan that can be, no is, extremely restrictive. Those who have access to care at big military bases with hospitals have fewer hassles. Those of us not attached to a big base, as we are, are not so fortunate. We're just like anybody else here. Our health care is stretched to its limits too. People tend to think we're all taken care of and get everything free. But that's just not so.
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