Military Officer - January 2007 - (Page 35)

washingtonscene ■ Restore TRICARE as a true secondpayer to other health insurance, as TRICARE For Life is to Medicare. Currently, if a beneﬁciary has other civilian coverage that pays more than TRICARE would have alone, then TRICARE pays nothing. ■ Reinstate TRICARE beneﬁts for remarried widows when the second marriage ends. The Veterans Beneﬁts Act of 2002 reinstated VA health beneﬁts for the survivors of veterans who died of serviceconnected causes. Military survivors deserve the same consideration. ■ Codify requirements to continue Prime beneﬁts in localities affected by base reduction and closure actions. Many beneﬁciaries deliberately retire in localities close to military bases to have access to military health care and other services. Base closures run signiﬁcant risks of disrupting TRICARE Prime care that retirees depend on to meet their health care needs. ■ Improve information programs concerning administrative changes to beneﬁts (such as shifting speciﬁc medications out of the TRICARE formulary) to provide potentially affected beneﬁciaries advance notice so they can adjust their plans without incurring no-notice ﬁnancial penalties. ■ Provide a subsidy for the TRICARE Retiree Dental Plan to better serve enrollees and encourage enrollment. ■ Support a comprehensive DoD and VA plan to ensure the full range of mental health services is provided to servicemembers, families, and caregivers. Protecting MOAA’s interests on Capitol Hill are, from left, Cmdr. John Class, USN-Ret.; Cmdr. René Campos, USN-Ret.; Col. Bob Norton, USA-Ret.; MOAA President Vice Adm. Norb Ryan Jr., USN-Ret.; Director of Government Relations Col. Steve Strobridge, USAF-Ret.; Col. Ana Smythe, USMC-Ret.; and Col. Mike Hayden, USAF-Ret. 2008, noting that the 8-percent increase imposed only one month after implementation in 2006 was three times the military pay raise percentage. Pharmacy issues Work with DoD and Congress to maintain a comprehensive, uniform pharmacy beneﬁt with a robust formulary that preserves beneﬁciary options to obtain speciﬁc pharmaceuticals determined necessary by their providers. MOAA will strive to maximize beneﬁciary choice, minimize beneﬁciary costs, and seek educational materials to help beneﬁciaries and providers understand and make the best use of the various TRICARE pharmacy options. Guard/Reserve health care Allow drilling reservists the alternative of having the government pay part of the premium to continue a civilian employer’s coverage during periods of activation. MOAA thinks this option will be popular with beneﬁciaries and may be cheaper for the government in the long run than providing TRICARE coverage while in drill status. MOAA opposes any TRICARE Reserve Select fee increases at least through PHOTO: STEVE BARRETT Pretax health premium payments/FSAs Continue to pursue DoD implementation of ﬂexible spending accounts (FSAs) for active duty and Selected Reserve servicemembers to allow them to pay out-ofpocket health care and dependent care JANUARY 2007 MILITARY OFFICER 35

Table of Contents Feed for the Digital Edition of Military Officer - January 2007

Military Officer - January 2007 Contents From the Editor From the Chairman Your Views MOAA Directory Rapid Fire Washington Scene Financial Forum Ask the Doctor Chapter Activities Cover Story: Osprey Rising? Battlefields of the Great War I Resolve ... New Mission Pages of History Information Exchange Advertising Index MOAA Scholarship Donors MOAA Member Services MOAA Calendar Sounding Taps Member Books Encore

Military Officer - January 2007

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