‘Part-time’ troops to get full benefits (Hillary alert)

Columbia (SC) State ^ | 3/27/2005 | LAUREN MARKOE

[nj26]

Tens of thousands of “part-time” soldiers will gain access to full-time military health care by the end of next month.

“It was a long time coming,” said Ed Simmons, state adjutant quartermaster for the Veterans of Foreign Wars of South Carolina. “We’re making headway.”

The benefits boost is thanks to a bill Congress passed last year extending the military’s health care system, TRICARE, to members of the National Guard and Reserves before and after an active duty tour.

All soldiers are covered by TRICARE when they are on active duty, but for most in the Guard and Reserves, TRICARE is not an option between deployments.

Nationally, there are 1.8 million members of the National Guard and Reserves — including about 30,000 South Carolinians.

U.S. Sens. Lindsey Graham, R-S.C., and Hillary Clinton, D-N.Y., led the effort in the Senate for the change. They cited statistics that showed an increased reliance on members of the Guard and Reserves since the Sept. 11, 2001, terrorist attacks on New York and Washington, D.C.

More than 40 percent of the troops serving in Iraq come from the Guard and Reserves, for example. They also noted the military’s increasing difficulty recruiting for the Guard and Reserves.

The bill passed last year gives such soldiers and their families six months of TRICARE benefits for every 90 days of service. Unlike active military, they pay premiums for the coverage — $75 a month for a soldier, or $233 for a family. The expanded coverage is estimated to cost taxpayers about $7 billion over five years.

[nj26]

Hillary and her new best friend at work again.... I only post because I'm sure she'll be crowing about this bill by 2008

[68skylark]

Democrats love spending other peoples money. They love it so much they're even willing to grit their teeth and spend it on the military -- as long as it's not going to buy any of those scary guns or other lethal hardware.

[duck duck goose]

I know of someone who is active duty. Who should have been deployed a few times, but he went out, got drunk with friends, and hit his ankle with a trash can lid so he wouldn't have to go. He is not only getting full-time pay, but he is able to use his benefits. He has to report to someone once a week, but as of wednesday, he has not reported to a post, nor has a regimented schedule to maintain, instead he is collecting a check and sitting on his butt playing video games and drinking beer. It makes me furious. The men and women that protect our freedoms on a daily basis don't have the luxury to dream of this, so why should he get away with it?? I feel as though, you get full time benefits and wages for a full time work schedule. Nothing is free.

[cajun scpo]

I have no problem with what they have legislated so far. Looks similar to COBRA. And you can only use it if you have no other coverage, max of 8 years [recalled for a total of 4 years]. Does not say if it has to be 'involuntary' recall [probably not].

But I don't think they need to go much or any further or they will have close to the same benefits as those still on active duty and just as good as those who served over 20 years on active duty. Note: Reserves that retire also become eligible for 'TRICARE for Life' at age 65, what active retirees switch to at age 65 [covers most things Medicare does not cover].

What coverage does someone who served four years active duty during combat, then joins the reserves but has no civilian medical coverage? Just the VA?

[billorites]

"You're just a part-timer, so we're only going to take your appendix part-way out."

[freekitty]

Hitlery is such a liar. She has not intention of doing this. I wonder what hidden agendas are in her bills.

[DBeers]

bad move -full benefits is one reason many choose to serve active over guard and reserve...

[upchuck]

South Carolina Hildabeaste Ping

Add me to the ping list. Remove me from the ping list.

[7.62 x 51mm]

Hitlery Rotten Klintoon's shift to the Right, continues. How many of the Sheeple will she fool in '08, is the question.

[unkus]

Hitlery does nothing if it won't help her somehow, someway. Ulterior motives keep her going. EVIL woman.

[CyberAnt]

She's trying to appear military friendly.

And .. all the time the dems are screaming about the size of the Pentagon budget - and now she wants to INCREASE IT ..??

They want to have the REPUBLICANS on record as voting AGAINST SOMETHING FOR THE MILITARY - in order to give the dems SOMETHING more to whine about.

Typical. Talking out of both sides of their mouths.

[pabianice]

Sounds like Hillary's stalking hoirse for eventual national health care. "How DARE you deny our veterans free health care? OK ... now what about our seniors, babies, infirm, etc?"