CBO eyes military retirees, vets for health cost cuts

I pay for Tricare Prime as a retiree.. and now they want to up my premium more than twice as much as I pay now.

I got put on Priority 1 for VA for my disability. But I am not holding my breath on that anymore.

So I guess I again have to make sacrifices with my Health Care and pay more so the uninsured gets their health care.

Funny.. I thought the Democrats were praising the VA system during the election to show that the government can provide the health care to the uninsured.. Yep.. I am retired and still getting screwed for serving the country. Obama claimed he wanted to treat veterans fairly during the election.. guess it was all a lie.

Fees, co-payments and deductibles would be raised for retirees under 62.

We've got Tricare Standard. Didn't bother with the other plans. Our health care has been really cheap after retiring in '88. Sponsor will turn 62 this year. Does this mean we can "sail" through without hikes until we have to enroll with Tricare For Life/Medicare part B at age 65?

Obama will screw the military. Here's what was written about him in 2005:

Since arriving in Washington in 2005, Senator Obama has been a strong supporter of defense funding. He has supported the annual Defense Department appropriations bills and supplemental appropriations bills that fund American troops fighting in Iraq and Afghanistan. The Senator has also supported pay raises for the troops, efforts to improve military readiness, and the acquisition of new weapons systems.

Senator Obama backs efforts to expand TRICARE eligibility and reduce TRICARE premiums so that our nation's service members, Guard members, reservists, and their families can have improved access to health care.

http://74.125.95.132/search?q=cache:It38E0tjjtIJ:obama.senate.gov/issues/defense/index.html+Obama+Tricare&hl=en&ct=clnk&cd=1&gl=us&client=firefox-a

It seems that Obama never VOTED or "supported" the military like his website claimed. It's all a big lie. It was a scam to get the military vote.

The law (H.R. 4986 (National Defense Authorization Act for Fiscal Year 2008 ):

Title VII: Health Care Provisions - Subtitle A: Improvements to Military Health Benefits - (Sec. 701) Extends through FY2008 the prohibition on increases in certain charges and premiums for care and coverage under TRICARE (a DOD managed care program) Prime, TRICARE Standard, and TRICARE Reserve Select.

(Sec. 702) Provides copayment limits, for the period beginning on October 1, 2007, and ending on September 30, 2008, for the receipt of generic, formulary, and nonformulary agents under the retail pharmacy system of the DOD pharmacy benefits program.

(Sec. 703) Provides that, with respect to any prescription filled on or after the date of enactment of this Act, the TRICARE retail pharmacy program shall be covered by the federal pricing limits applicable to covered drugs under the VA retail pharmacy program.

(Sec. 704) Authorizes the Secretary to pay a stipend to a reserve member who is called or ordered to active duty for a period of more than 30 days so that such member may maintain civilian health care coverage for a dependent whom the Secretary determines possesses a special health care need that would be best met by remaining in the member's civilian health plan.

(Sec. 705) Expands eligibility for temporary health benefits coverage under federal civilian employee provisions to include any person specified in regulations prescribed by the Secretary who loses entitlement to DOD health care services. Allows such temporary coverage for up to 36 months after the loss of such entitlement.

(Sec. 706) Amends the Warner Act to continue eligibility for TRICARE Standard coverage for certain members of the Selected Reserve.

(Sec. 707) Amends the Reagan Act to extend through FY2010 a pilot program of cooperative health care arrangements between military installations and local and regional nonmilitary health care systems. Extends related report requirements.

(Sec. 708) Includes mental health care within the definition of "health care" under the TRICARE program. Requires a report from the Secretary to the defense committees on the adequacy of access to mental health services under the TRICARE program.

The truth:

Not Voting - 6

Clinton (D-NY) McCain (R-AZ) Menendez (D-NJ) Obama (D-IL) Thune (R-SD) Warner (R-VA)

More info and the WHOLE story the main article didn't cover:

TRICARE FOR WORKING-AGE RETIREES — Fees, co-payments and deductibles would be raised for retirees under 62 to restore the relative costs paid when TRICARE began in 1995. TRICARE Prime enrollment would be raised to $550 a year for individuals from $230. Retiree families would pay $1,100 versus $460 today. Co-pays for doctor visits would climb to $28 from $12 and users of TRICARE Standard and Extra would pay an annual deductible of $350 for an individual and $700 for families.

FEES FOR ACTIVE DUTY FAMILIES — Dependents of active duty members enrolled in TRICARE Prime, the managed care network, would pay new fees equal to 10 percent of the cost of health services obtained either in military treatment facilities or through civilian network providers. Total out of pocket costs would be capped, however.

TRICARE-FOR-LIFE FEES — The military’s health insurance supplement to Medicare could see higher user costs. Under this option, beneficiaries would pay the first $525 of yearly medical costs plus one half of the next $4,725 of costs charged to Medicare. So the extra out-of-pocket cost for TFL users would be up to $2,887.50 a year.

TIGHTEN VA ENROLLMENT — The VA health care system would be directed to disenroll 2.3 million Priority Groups 7 and 8 — individuals who are not poor and have no service-related medical needs. Estimated savings would be $53 billion over 10 years but Medicare spending would rise by $26 billion in the same period as elderly among these vets shifted to Medicare.

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