The following is from the Reserve Officers Association.
James Siscel
Jan 14, 2009
Tricare for Life not on Chopping Block
A viral e-mail campaign is unsettling military retirees over 65.
Sourcing a Congressional Budget Office (CBO) report, these e-mails
claim that TRICARE for Life is at risk. These distress warnings are
overstated.
The report, on Budget Options, Volume 1: Health Care lists 115 options
for reducing federal spending on health care, altering federal
healthcare programs, and making substantive changes to the nation’s
health insurance system. But these are not formal recommendations.
The suggestion for TRICARE for Life is only Option 96 on the list.
None are formal recommendations.
A total of six proposals of the 115 might affect military health
care. Other options include increasing health care cost sharing for
family members of military personnel on active duty (Option 95);
increasing health care cost sharing for military retirees under age 65
(Option 97); and copayments and changes to enrollment for medical
care provided by the Veterans Affairs Hospitals for enrollees without
a service-connected disability (Options 28, 29 and 98)
The CBO report is a periodic report made every two years. The last
such report was published in February of 2007 when CBO provided 250
budget cutting options to Congress on altering federal spending and
revenues, of which health care and Medicare changes were a part. What
was unusual with this year’s health care report was that it was
published in a separate volume.
ROA would like to thank those members who brought this report to our
attention. The Reserve Officers Association is concerned with
legislation that might affect the military health readiness, and deny
earned health benefits and will continue to track this issue. ROA
leadership has been in discussions with other military and veteran
associations and the consensus is that currently there is no serious
risk. At this point there are no fires needing to be put out.
Friday, January 16, 2009
Tricare for Life not on Chopping Block
