Military Officer - February 2007 - (Page 31)

washingtonscene Fee Hike Redux Pentagon leaders, undeterred by last year’s congressional resistance, plan a budget proposal to increase retired members’ TRICARE fees for FY 2008. L E G I S L AT I V E N E W S T H AT A F F E C T S Y O U H ere it comes again. As Pentagon to appoint a special task force this column was being writ- on the fee issue to review such concerns ten, DoD budget planners and provide interim recommendations to were putting together a Congress this spring — in time to include TRICARE budget for 2008 any changes in this year’s defense bill. that almost certainly includes proposals to Why does MOAA expect to see Pendouble or triple TRICARE fees for retirees tagon leaders offer the same kinds of and families under age 65. recommendations again? One reason is Last year, the Pentagon proposed a that the Pentagon is still being given an two-year plan to: inadequate budget, forcing ■ raise the TRICARE Prime Defense leaders to conannual enrollment fee for a sider ever more “people DoD must retired ofﬁcer’s family from do a better programs versus weapons $460 to $1,400, with someprograms” tradeoffs. job of holdwhat lower amounts for enSecond, MOAA sees a ing down listed retirees; precedent in the admin■ raise the TRICARE Stanistration’s persistent, reits own dard annual deductible for a costs before peated proposals to charge retired ofﬁcer’s family from an enrollment fee and seeking $300 to $560 and require an increase pharmacy copaylarge fee additional $560 per year for ments for certain veterans a new TRICARE Standard using the VA health care hikes for enrollment fee, with somesystem. Congress has rebeneficiawhat lower fees for enlisted jected the idea outright for ries. retirees; and three consecutive years. ■ increase retail pharmacy But each succeeding year, copayments from $3 (gethe administration has sent neric) and $9 (brand name) to $5 and the same proposal back to Congress. $15, respectively. Finally, MOAA doesn’t expect to see Ultimately, Congress barred any TRImuch different recommendations from CARE fee increases for FY 2007, agreeing the task force, because all of its members with MOAA and The Military Coalition are appointed by DoD, and the Defense (TMC) that DoD has not done enough to position is well-entrenched. hold down health costs in ways that don’t Defense leaders still believe that redisadvantage beneﬁciaries. The FY 2007 tirees’ TRICARE fees should be raised Defense Authorization Act directed the signiﬁcantly to better reﬂect what’s hapFEBRUARY 2007 Buy Four Stamps to Save $1,000 a Year ■ House and Senate Armed Services committee leaders will be considering Pentagon proposals for large TRICARE fee hikes within the next month or two. Please help MOAA battle disproportional fee hikes by signing and mailing the tear-out letters in this magazine (two at page 32 and two at page 52). MILITARY OFFICER 31

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

Military Officer - February 2007 Contents From the Editor From the President Your Views MOAA Directory Rapid Fire Washington Scene Financial Forum Ask the Doctor Chapter Activities Cover Story: Building Stability Reaching Out, Reaching Up 5 Tax-Season Strategies A Capital Event MOAA Member Services Pages of History Information Exchange Advertising Index Member Books Sounding Taps MOAA Calendar Encore

Military Officer - February 2007

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