Posted on 03/01/2012 3:50:12 PM PST by Lmo56
Defense Secretary Leon Panetta on Wednesday defended the Pentagon’s plan to increase healthcare fees for military personnel as a senior House Republican called the increases another Obama administration “hit” on the military.
“On Tricare costs for health care, we have recommended increased fees,” Panetta said during a hearing of the House Budget Committee.
“We have not increased those fee levels since 1990,” he said. “We’ve looked at … the retirement area with the proviso that we grand-father those benefits so that those that are serving will not lose the benefits that were promised to them, but at the same time try to look at what reforms can be made on retirement for the future.”
Military pay will not be cut and pay raises are planned for the next two years but limited in later years, he said.
“That’s the package that we’ve presented,” Panetta said. “This has not been easy. This is a tough and challenging responsibility.”
(Excerpt) Read more at freebeacon.com ...
Rep. Howard “Buck” McKeon (R., CA) said some healthcare costs for military retirees will be raised 345 percent over the next several years and will include “means-tested” increases based on pay at retirement.
“It is just another hit on the military,” McKeon said on Fox News, commenting on a report published Tuesday in the Washington Free Beacon.
“You know, the military accounts for 20 percent of our overall budget, but 50 percent of the savings have come out of defense, and these people that have given so much for us … why are they to be singled out?” McKeon asked.
He also noted that civilian defense employees are not being hit with these same increases and are not being means-tested to gauge whether they can pay more.
McKeon said the military health care increases are a “fairness issue.” ...
Cefends = Defends
Panetta cefends Tricare cuts? This sounds hugh.
Our military in the context of all Federal employees are for the most part at the very bottom of the pile when it comes to pay. Are the rest of the Federal Employees having to pay more for their insurance?
Those on welfare produce nothing but kids and get everything for free forever.
Not that this is any surprise. Once Obamacare passed, this was a necessary byproduct. In order to pay for the healthcare of deadbeats, soldier-haters, and grad students who can’t scrape enough together for contraception and abortive paraphernalia, we’re going to charge the military for something they alone deserve. Beyond sick.
When I enlisted in 1950 and married in 1953, and at ever reenlistment for the next 23 years I was PROMISED a lifetime of free medical care for myself and my spouse. I am now in TRICARE FOR LIFE and really appreciate. Along come this idiot African and says I now have to pay for it. I will pay for it when he pays for the operating cost ($179,000 per hour) for AF One, Each Cabinet Member serves with the pay of a E-9, Congresspersons and Senator’s serves like they did in the old days -WITH NO PAY & Michelle and the kids stay home and raise their garden, to pay rent for staying in OUR White House, and buy their own da## food.
Bill Gertz is the top investigative reporter in Washington today — and the Free Beacon is quickly establishing itself as the nation’s leading conservative newspaper. I think its slogan should be: “The inside news while hte others snooze.”
Free Health Care for Life sure is getting more and more expensive each year.
I have this report saved, and like to read it whenever my get up and go got up and went.
http://www.law.umaryland.edu/marshall/crsreports/crsdocuments/98-1006_F.pdf
Short version, from page 11: “Notably, certain former recruiters claim to have made such promises. They may well have. Nevertheless, as pointed out above, unauthorized promises based on mistakes, fraud, etc., do not constitute a contractual obligation on the part of the government/taxpayer.”
“Leon” says there is a provis “those serving” continue to get what they were “promised”..... Then note that he descends into gibberish
As if “those serving” are not aware of what happens to “promises” made by their government after they retire
I can’t wait to find out that retirement pay and social security makes you too rich for TRICARE...
How about this...no military member has to pay more for healthcare insurance than a retired school teacher?
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