Posted on 02/29/2012 10:09:18 AM PST by pabianice
Just on Fox. Obama sending Congress a bill to triple over the next several years the premiums service people, their families, and retirees will have to pay for TRICARE medical coverage. Dem congressman on Fox claims that the military have too good a deal on medical coverage and "it's only fair to increase their permiums." Repub disagrees. Notes that Obama's buddies in civilian military jobs (i.e. unions) will see no increase.
I seem to remember that Mr. obama (the ineligible president) said that the military health care should not be free since they volunteered for the service and knew what the risks were. (not a direct quote but close).
I’ll see if I can find it. That sounds like what I’ve been working through in my own mind and with our kids. There’s a very real possibility that we will be given a choice to either bow to Islam or be killed/tortured. We’ve been trying to help our kids realize that there are things far worse than death or any other suffering in this world, and that we don’t need to fear anything because we’ll be given the strength we need when we need it.
Along with his partners in the Democrat Party and cheerleaders in the MSM.
- Sex crazed college sluts having sex three times a day 24/7/365- Professional Moochers
- 4th generation Brood Sows
- Illegal Aliens
- Michelle Obama
- Members of Congress, the House and the Supreme Court
- 4 million other federal workers
With what the military is paid, you would understand why health car was free. That all changed when the courts determined the gov’t word meant nothing. Bad vibes continue.
“One of the carrots dangled in front of GI’s to get them to commit to 20+ years was the free health care. It was the deal they made with the rest of America to protect the freedoms we have.”
Friend, I was in the military. I know and respect military service. None of what follows applies to those severely injured in service their country. I did my hitch and got out eagerly. Today, the retirement benefit package makes each member of the military defacto millionaires - even multi-millionaires.
The country simply cannot pay for a 38 year old soldier & spouse medical care costs for the next 40 years. We don’t have the money. Somebody made promises that cannot be kept. It’s simply a fact. We do not have the money.
Additionally, The more the military is placed above the average citizen, the less free we actually are - because you are asking the impossible of the citizens whose freedom the military defends. We do not have the money. The same principal applies to other federal, state, and municipal government employee retirement plans, not just military.
The people that have to pay the taxes that support all of this cannot continue to make folks that leave government service - whether by military or civilian or any other means millionaires. We can barely afford our own medical benefits - and we are supposed to pay for everyone elses first?
I’m not pretending to know what the answer is - but the answer is NOT to make every military member that makes it to 20 years a multi-millionaire when retired pay and medical benefits are considered.
The deal our founding fathers made with every American - freedom supersedes the deal the military bureaucracy made with members of the military.
Again, I don’t know the answer, but apparently you do not know the answer either.
Military service can be very hard and brutal - if you live through it, I agree, but the answer is not to make you a multi-millionaire when you retire. It can’t be.
When Obamacare passed, I received an email from OPM stating that my Fepblue would not meet the minimum requirements of Obamacare and I would be breaking the law if I didn't do something about it. If I break the law, I lose my security clearance. If I lose my security clearance, I lose my job.
Not when they are also paying for free lifetime medical care for millions of moochers, loafers, drug addicts, illegals and other assorted victim groups and voting blocs who have done exactly nothing to deserve 5-cents worth of free care.
“Not when they are also paying for free lifetime medical care for millions of moochers, loafers, drug addicts, illegals and other assorted victim groups and voting blocs who have done exactly nothing to deserve 5-cents worth of free care. “
It should go without saying that these folks do not deserve free anything.
“Today, the retirement benefit package makes each member of the military defacto millionaires - even multi-millionaires.”
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I retired in 1982 and am by no means a millionaire. My retirement pay at that time was $600/mo. On that I also had to pay income taxes. I spent over 20 years moving where I was told to go, did the job I was told to do, and ate when I was told I could eat. I don’t think the military is being put above anyone. They have earned the medical care that they were promised.
The gov has already broken their promise to me on educational benefits. They changed the rules and told me that my benefits has expired. That was not in the contract I signed. There was no mention of the benefit expiring (the old GI bill). Now they want to change the rules again on medical care. I’m getting very upset with the whole gov system!
1st off, the retirement “pay” and “benefits” are a retainer. Once you “retire”, a stroke of the pen and your back active duty just like what happened immediately after 9/11. The rest of your life your eligible to be activated and must report for active duty. They provide healthcare to offer incentive to stay ready for such an event. I do. At 58 I can do more physically than when I retired 20 years ago because it is a responsibility I take seriously until the last day when I’m called up by my true Commander in Chief.
“I retired in 1982 and am by no means a millionaire. My retirement pay at that time was $600/mo. On that I also had to pay income taxes.”
If you make $10,000 per year in benefits, at 1% interest in a bank, you would have to have $1,000,000 to earn that interest.
You can adjust from there if you make more, or if you can earn more interest, but the point is clear.....to get the benefits that you have now, you would need to have well north of $1M today.
I don’t understand your point. What does a bank have to do with the benefits that I earned? If I had invested in a 401K or other civilian retirement plan, how much would I draw? On the pay I received, I couldn’t afford to invest in anything except food and clothing. During my 20 years, I qualified for welfare, but got second jobs instead. Now, I’me being told that I don’t deserve the benefits that I worked for. I just don’t understand your reasoning.
If it's available at the base Pharmacy, then yes. Typically generic although there are rare instances where generics aren't as effective as name brand (Synthroid e.g.) and one is sent to a local pharma.
That being said, I don't believe it's too high a price to pay for someone who did much to guarantee your right to bellyache about it. Do you?
Btw, I'm a retired USAF E-7 and we pay deductibles and co-pays quite consistently as we're constantly being referred to off-base physicians.
Tommy
I went into a public-'ouse to get a pint o'beer, The publican 'e up an' sez, "We serve no red-coats here." The girls be'ind the bar they laughed an' giggled fit to die, I outs into the street again an' to myself sez I:
O it's Tommy this, an' Tommy that, an' "Tommy, go away"; But it's "Thank you, Mister Atkins," when the band begins to play, The band begins to play, my boys, the band begins to play, O it's "Thank you, Mr. Atkins," when the band begins to play.
I went into a theatre as sober as could be, They gave a drunk civilian room, but 'adn't none for me; They sent me to the gallery or round the music-'alls, But when it comes to fightin', Lord! they'll shove me in the stalls!
For it's Tommy this, an' Tommy that, an' "Tommy, wait outside"; But it's "Special train for Atkins" when the trooper's on the tide, The troopship's on the tide, my boys, the troopship's on the tide, O it's "Special train for Atkins" when the trooper's on the tide.
Yes, makin' mock o' uniforms that guard you while you sleep Is cheaper than them uniforms, an' they're starvation cheap; An' hustlin' drunken soldiers when they're goin' large a bit Is five times better business than paradin' in full kit.
Then it's Tommy this, an' Tommy that, an' "Tommy how's yer soul?" But it's "Thin red line of 'eroes" when the drums begin to roll, The drums begin to roll, my boys, the drums begin to roll, O it's "Thin red line of 'eroes" when the drums begin to roll.
We aren't no thin red 'eroes, nor we aren't no blackguards too, But single men in barricks, most remarkable like you; An' if sometimes our conduck isn't all your fancy paints: Why, single men in barricks don't grow into plaster saints;
While it's Tommy this, an' Tommy that, an' "Tommy, fall be'ind," But it's "Please to walk in front, sir," when there's trouble in the wind, There's trouble in the wind, my boys, there's trouble in the wind, O it's "Please to walk in front, sir," when there's trouble in the wind.
You talk o' better food for us, an' schools, an' fires an' all: We'll wait for extry rations if you treat us rational. Don't mess about the cook-room slops, but prove it to our face The Widow's Uniform is not the soldier-man's disgrace.
For it's Tommy this, an' Tommy that, an' "Chuck him out, the brute!" But it's "Saviour of 'is country," when the guns begin to shoot; An' it's Tommy this, an' Tommy that, an' anything you please; But Tommy ain't a bloomin' fool - you bet that Tommy sees!
“Now, I’me being told that I don’t deserve the benefits that I worked for. I just don’t understand your reasoning.”
I’m telling you that in order to earn in interest what you get in military benefits, you would have to have a very large sum of money today. It exceeds $1M.
What I am saying is that no matter where you stand on the issue, a compensation package that includes comprehensive medical coverage, plus a monthly stipend that can be a little or a lot, depending on your rank requires a multi-decade taxpayer commitment from taxpayers who often cannot afford their own basic medical care.
The bottom line is that we’re broke and can’t pay what everyone thinks they are going to get for government, state, municipal, and military benefits. When will it stop? When we can no longer borrow to finance it all - whenever that happens - which could technically happen any time, given the size of deficits around the globe.
Do you have the numbers to prove that out, cause I'd like to see them.
I'm a retired E-7, make about $1400 a month before taxes, SBP, etc. I don't qualify for the GI Bill (long story).
I agree in principle that the system has become unsustainable, but it isn't because of the benefit packages that are offered as incentive to fill the ranks.
The douchebags in DC are responsible for squandering this country's wealth and they are pulling a typical liberal tactic, take away pay and benefits from those that actually contribute to our society vs. those leeches who suck at the teat.
I don't believe that our society is placing the military member "above" anyone, I see where people appreciate that there are still rough men and women willing to exercise violence on our behalf to keep us safe and work to ensure our freedom.
I think I see where you’re coming from, but not in full agreement about the $1M premise.
The USA, by virtue of the Constitution, accepted that there would be costs to “provide for the common defense”.
I don’t see the rest of the spending this country engages in anywhere in there.
That being said, should there be a revisit to the amount retirees pay? Probably, but this tactic is nothing more than spitting in the face of those who are “locked in”. All so that they are ultimately forced into 0bamacare since they would have no other option. Which is the ultimate goal here.
So in other words, as it relates to spending, what’s the diff? The gov’t pays either way.
The present value of $1400 per month, assuming 1.2% interest per year is achievable for 40 years is $658,710 if you got no COLA ever again in those 40 years. (sinking fund balance = 0 at the end)
If you add in $750 per month for insurance for you and spouse (it can cost more it can cost less, but we’re picking a figure here) then we’re talking about:
1400+750, which after 40 years is $1,011,591 at 1.2% interest rates in a bank - assuming no COLA, and no increase in insurance premium.
All US military personnel are by far more deserving of FREE medical benefits than any DC elected or appointed POS official.
“I think I see where you’re coming from, but not in full agreement about the $1M premise.”
I just posted the numbers for you. You can argue either way, but you are substantially on your way to $1M if not over it.
Again, I do not know what the answer is. But there is no argument over the basic premise - even if you vary the assumptions either way (higher interest will reduce the amount, COLA’s will increase the amount, medical inflation will increase the amount)
I think that the political will to do anything is non-existent - so your benefits will be eroded slowly, or quickly, until they are no longer what you expected them to be.
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