FY 2013 Defense Budget Request: Military Health Care Takes a Hit

Higher enrollment fees for TRICARE Prime members. TRICARE Prime experienced its first-ever fee increases in the 2012 budget. The 2013 budget continues that trend, and the budget overview released on February 13 proposes additional increases into the future. For the highest-earning working age retirees, the proposal calls for the current (2012) annual family enrollment fee of $520 to climb to $2,048 by FY 2017; for those in the lower tier of retirement pay, it will increase from $520 to $850.

This, and yet there are freeloading maggots out here who actually believe that the U.S. Government is going to be able to provide “free” health care to everyone on the planet. I say everyone on the planet because the buffoons infesting our federal courts will decide that everyone on the planet has a “constitutional right” to free healthcare that is guaranteed under the U.S. Constitution. I really don’t think “the rich” are going to be able to afford to pay for healthcare for everyone. That’s just a ‘RAT crack pipe dream.

Not too sure about over benefitted, but I will say that the benefits are certainly a factor when choosing to stay in. The fact that they can change the established benefits after I’ve already dodged bullets and missed birthdays (Hell, entire years!) is quite disturbing. We military retirees get a good deal, yes. And I did expect some kind of an increase, like a few percent, or increases tied to CPI. However, who in their right mind would think a 100% to 400% increase is a “fair share” solution. Remember, I make under $250k a year. My taxes weren’t suppose to go up. Call it what you will.

It’s also outrageous to read the comment about how military retiree healthcare is still much “cheaper than a comparble civilian plan.” No kidding? Really? Is that something that needs correcting? No offense, but those civilians had the same choice that I did, and made it clear that it wasn’t for them. Some thought they were too smart, some thought they were too scared and some just “didn’t want t be told what to do”. It’s not a civilian job, after all. It’s the military. If you don’t die over a 20 year carreer, you get something in return. Not for everybody and I don’t begrudge them for not aking the plunge.

But, now I know why my pot smoking classmates told me it was stupid to go into the military. They knew they’d run the country someday, and they knew what they would do when they got there. Unfortunately, there just wont be enough people to opposed this increase, since it affects so few of our fellow citizens. Average Joe sees someone might be getting a better deal than they do and can’t wait to see them cut down to size.

My thought: Put a F%&*#ng uniform on Joe! You piece of S#@%!

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