Posted on 02/27/2016 4:42:36 AM PST by SandRat
As they review the Defense Department’s latest plan to raise TRICARE fees and co-pays, particularly for working-age retirees and their families, key congressional panels are asking what beneficiaries can expect in return.
Faster appointments, more evening clinic hours, more physicians spending more time seeing patients and more base hospitals operating at full capacity were some answers given this week by military healthcare leaders.
Perhaps the most important commitment came from Dr. Jonathan Woodson, assistant secretary of defense for health affairs, who said he, along with the new director of the Defense Health Agency, Vice Admiral Raquel C. Bono, and the surgeons general of the Army, Navy and Air Force all recognize the need “to pivot to a full patient-centered, customer-focused delivery system.”
How much of an increase are we talking?
This sounds like a response penned up by the marketing department and meant to be digested by those who don't know the system.
Wasn’t sais,.
And did they mention how many millions of dollars it will take to get those “base hospitals” out of mothballs and brought up to date? Ridiculous.
Colonel, USAFR (Ret)
Going after the group that has the money! I think they want to transfer TRICARE for LIFE money to VA expenses.
My TRICARE services are all rendered by private (competitive) health providers, why should my fees be raised? Well, I know why! VA is socialized, not competitive, like my doctor and other providers.
I did see one proposal that called for combining TFL with Medicare. My current GP takes my Tricare Prime but doesn’t take Medicare or Obamacare. I’d hate to lose her services as she is one of the best doctors that I’ve ever had. I’m 2 1/2 hours away from the nearest military medical facility by car. I like having civilian health care. My experience with military doctors or civilian doctors in the pay from the military isn’t positive.
Yep...
Ain’t.Gunna.Happen.
Totally agree and have done the same throughout 30 yrs service.
Many times it was a financial burden but after using military medical facilities early on, have never gone back...
“I did see one proposal that called for combining TFL with Medicare.” Purdue 77
Currently, Medicare is primary. All bills first go to Medicare, Usually, medicare pays 80% and the recipient pays 20%. If you have Medicare and TFL, Medicare pays 80% and TFL pays the rest. I’ve received very few bills for medical care since I went on Medicare. When I only had Tricare, I did have some copays but paid nothing for premiums. Now, I pay about $140 Per Month for Medicare and nothing for TFL. BTW, a couple of years ago, I had to have surgery to reattach four severed tendons in my right hand. Near as I can tell, the total cost was around $40K. I paid seven dollars for some pain killers.
“Going after the group that has the money! I think they want to transfer TRICARE for LIFE money to VA expenses.”
Entirely different. Currently, retirees who continue to work in the civilian world often have a choice. They can get insurance from the civilian jobs, often at a price. Many choose to rely on tricare and save the costs of civilian insurance. The military budget guys think these worker/retirees should pay for the civilian insurance and not use tricare until they actually retire.
For example, I was a military retiree while working for civil service. I was a National Guard retiree so I did not actually have retiree status until I turned 60, not retired pay or medical. I paid bluecross/blueshield several hundred a month.
Once I turned 60 and received full benefits, I cancelled the BC/BS and saved the premiums. The budget guys think I was ripping off the system. Well, maybe, but they wrote the rules.
I use Tricare Prime and my own physician. He’s been my family physician for over 20 years. The last thing I want to do is go to the nearest military base (60 mile round trip) for treatment. They don’t want me and I don’t want them.
That’s great. I have a $600 yearly premium for Tricare Prime and supplement that with private insurance. Most of my medical bills are also covered with the exception of specialty meds (non-generics). If they did combine TFL with Medicare that would probably mean that Medicare would still pay 80% with nothing to cover the rest. So I’d be back to buying a supplement. And, I’d have to interview new doctors who take Medicare as my current one doesn’t. And, she is too cute to lose. Oh, she’s also a very good doctor.
SandRat, is this Prime or Life and is it co-pays?
We are Tricare Life, Medicare, as hubby is 75 and I’m 67. I noticed we had higher co-pays in 2015, and were DOD Mandated to get our daily meds from Base Dispensary or crap Express Scripts. NO COLA fort 2016.
VA Care has a $38K cap. We don’t qualify for it, you apply for any service related health care issues under service disability. What percentage of disability determined is sent in a separate check and is NOT taxable.
When our Navy base went from a training base to BUPERS we lost the medical and hospital, even the airport was sold to the city. Hospital sits empty. Every one sees private doctors and uses private hospitals. Few qualify for VA care because of the $$ CAP and for active duty VA care does not apply. They use private care as well.
Now you could get free care and probably a social security check if you spoke another language and claimed refugee status.
Getting harder to find doctors to take Tricare Life along with Medicare. As a senior woman, I needed a GYN for a health issue, and was told we are NOT a profitable age, and they don’t take Medicare, much less Tricare Life.
What the heck did my husband spend 20 yrs in the Navy for at sub par pay and over deployments? Commissary and Exchange are as expensive as private stores now. In fact milk was more expensive than Kroger’s this week. A whole chicken raw cost what a cooked chicken at Kroger’s cost. $200 Vera Wang Wallets? I get the benefits of reduced gas cost when I shop Kroger’s more than offsets the 5% restock fee vs the state sales tax. And we are a NO State income tax state, just sales tax.
Especially if they’ve sat empty for a decade as the one in Millington, TN has. They just remodeled the Exchange and didn’t do the Pharmacy, it is not handicapped friendly. Lines out the door most of the day since DOD Mandated all Tricare Life use base dispensary or Express Scripts, who just shoves your meds in your mail box unsigned for and you don’t know what generic brand you will get at any given refill.
As a high drug sensitive patient I can’t go that route, you give me generic thyroid med you risk sending me into a crisis. I take my own meds to the private hospital as I refuse to be charged for what I already have and take.
This slippery path began with Hillery Care.
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