"In a move that virtually ensures only nominal increases in fees for Tricare beneficiaries in the coming year, the Senate Armed Services Committee has flatly rejected a Pentagon proposal to increase retail pharmacy co-pays and fees, mainly for military retirees."
Says the Navy Times.
This is good news for the Retired Service Members who were facing a 33% hike in co-pays and drug co-pays.
So why were they trying to raise what our retired Military members are paying? And what about that "virtually" part?
Tri-Care is the extension of the Health Insurance system Active Duty Soldiers are entitled to after completing 20 years of Active Duty Service to the Nation. It is a benefit of honorable service. These "killed" hikes can still be added to the bill now that it has left committee. Likely at the last minute as part of some "deal".
Tricare comes in many flavors which does add to the confusion: Prime, Select and Extra, Reserve, Retired Reserve, For Life, etc. The one most used is Tricare Prime, for all Active Duty (AD) Soldiers and run like a Single Payer system/Managed HMO (you have to go to the Post Medical service if there is one, otherwise you have to get an approved doctor off post. Emergencies are exceptions) and AD's pay nothing for approved care.
Retired AD can have Prime for like $600 a year, and a $12 co-pay. The co-pay is tied to the cost of living but if it is less than $1 it does not go up. This year the COLA was 1.7%, which was $0.20 so no increase in co-pay.
Except the Senate Armed Services Committee and many GOP types want to raise it. Partly because there has been no increase in co-pays or premiums since 2012. Or as the rabid, anti-military Leftist Senator Lindsey Graham, R-S.C., put it "We haven’t increased premiums since 1995 but once, and it’s really pitting the military between health care benefits for retirees and funding the force,”
Great spin there! We have only increased premiums once since 1995! Sure it was just last year and nearly doubled them, but gosh, we can't keep paying for the health care of retirees and current Soldiers!
Part of this spin is the nature of the military. The average Service member joins around 18 or 19. After 20 years they can retire. So many do and find civilian employment at 38 or 39. Many have access to employer provided insurance but few places offer the plan like Tricare and not at the cost. The military haters in the GOP see these people as milking the system and subsiding employers at expense of the defense contractors...I mean valiant young men and women fighting to keep the US free from invasion by Iraq and Taliban.
(Many have also attacked the immediate drawing of pensions by 38 year olds after 20 years of Active Duty service. Half of your annual pay at your highest rank held for three years.)
[side note: injuries and health issues due to military service are covered by the Veterans Administration as the preferred provider which the VA pays for and is not a charge to Tricare.]
What makes the Senator from the military hating state of South Carolina so eager to stick it to retired military is the costs of government provided Health Insurance. "Tricare is, quite frankly, unsustainable without reform." Of course they could reduce the costs of Tricare by halting the Pentagon from raiding our surplus in Tricare. Tricare is the only program run by the Pentagon that is operating at a surplus, so they want to “fund the force” with our co-pays and premiums. Sure is helping out, us having veterans in Congress isn’t it?
As the military blog "This Ain't Hell, but you can see it from here" put it:
"Thanks, Flaming Lindsey, way to stick up for veterans, Mr. Veteran. I think that the Senate is unsustainable without reform, so I call for you and the rest of the perfumed princes to cut their staffs by at least half, along with your salaries. Go tell Social Security recipients you’re going to raise their costs, and Medicaid participants while you’re at it. I double-dog-dare you."