Posted on 03/03/2011 8:12:19 AM PST by katiedidit1
A Washington, D.C., think tank is recommending that Tricare fees drastically increase and that the Pentagon implement means-testing for still-working retirees to bring costs of the DoD-run system under control.
Health care accounts for nearly 10 percent of the Pentagon's $550 billion budget, and a study released by the Center for American Progress suggests that it is only a matter of time before those costs start diverting funds away from the military's national security missions.
"If the defense budget stays flat and these costs increase, it's going to hurt military readiness," said Lawrence Korb, a former Pentagon official in the Reagan administration and lead author of the study titled "Restoring Tricare." The proposed Pentagon budget for 2012 includes $52.5 billion for Tricare, a 300 percent increase over 2001 funding levels.
(Excerpt) Read more at military.com ...
“Center for American Progress”, figures.
Means testing for higher income retirees and no benefits for veterans who are gainfully employed. “Korb believes the Pentagon could save $15 billion a year if it reined in Tricare costs by adding a $120 enrollment fee for family members, instituting a $500 deductible for working-age retirees, and nixing continued benefits for vets who are gainfully employed.”
CAP is a center for American progressivism, and nothing more.
CAP is a center for American progressivism, and nothing more.
Means testing for higher income retirees and no benefits for veterans who are gainfully employed. “Korb believes the Pentagon could save $15 billion a year if it reined in Tricare costs by adding a $120 enrollment fee for family members, instituting a $500 deductible for working-age retirees, and nixing continued benefits for vets who are gainfully employed.”
Means testing for higher income retirees and no benefits for veterans who are gainfully employed. “Korb believes the Pentagon could save $15 billion a year if it reined in Tricare costs by adding a $120 enrollment fee for family members, instituting a $500 deductible for working-age retirees, and nixing continued benefits for vets who are gainfully employed.”
Lawrence Korb= First Class Asshole
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Lawrence_Korb
Heck with DADT, I would tell military folks that to give 20 years of service and have to pay 1/2 your pension towards medical is not worth it. I can’t believe what they are doing to the military retirees. This is the fault of every President that we have had since Nixon. I believe he is the first President to have a debt. Of course I could be wrong but it has been ugly for every President for a long time.
Criticized Bush for invading Iraq...scumbag for sure..icing on the cake is that some retirees will lose tricare if they are “gainfully” employed. All this and the green light is on for a new ship named after Murtha.
Because most of the retires served either under gay-ban or DADT...they need to have part of the pleasure as well...so if you’ll just un-do your belt and bend over we’ll get started.
I’m a realist and realize that Tricare is an awesome deal, particularly if you live close to one of the major med cens. Considering inflation I could definitely understand rates being hiked. The methods suggested here stink through and through however. Typical liberal “level the playing field” thinking. I can see raising the deductible or increasing the yearly rate but they should stop there.
Retirees will fight this because all of us view health care, education, loan guarantee, etc., all as deferred pay. We were told exactly that any number of times — that our pay was low compared to the civilian sector, so the compensation was made up by offering deferred incentives. My s-i-l today spoke with me about his skill that is in demand on the outside at a much higher wage.
Besides, the military is one item specifically authorized in the Constitution, and the care of veterans goes all the way back to the very first Congresses and their authorizing of land grants and other perquisites for those who had fought the Revolution.
So, don’t lump soldiers with bureacrats in the Education Dept, the EPA, or any other department. We are in the document and they are not.
And we fight back.
We are taking a 13% increase..teachers in Wisconsin a 12% increase...other unions exempt from Obamacare. Don’t mind a little increase but would prefer our govt go after other cuts that are not as painful on the American workers..start with Foreign aid
FUBO!
We treat welfare recipients better than we do our veterans!
We, the taxpayer, treat just about everybody but the military better than we do ourselves.
Frankly, I can see what amounts to co-pay for Tricare being indexed to something after active duty on some basis indexed to years served. Nobody reasonably lives on a 20 year based military pension so it is supplemental to something else.
‘Course, gubment can screw up the means testing.
Every damn one of the union employees that whine about Walmart wages ought to be aware of the poverty wages a young military recruit, sailor, etc make..little of nothing.
The cut that stuns me is a total loss of tricare IF the DOD deems your wages are too high in the private sector.
Actually, repeated studies have shown, if you look at EVERYTHING, not just base pay, but non-cash benefits, etc. military compensation, if you compare people of similar age and education, is definitely as good, and in most cases better, than civilian compensation.
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