Military Officer - March 2009 - (Page 40) washingtonscene servicemember died of the injury or was killed in the line of duty while deployed, the survivor would receive coverage. In explaining the July 1, 2006, cutoff date for home purchases, the Appropriations Committee staff indicated the sense that the home market decline was under way at that point, and the intent was to protect people who purchased homes before they had any reason to expect a decline. A qualifying person who sold a home at a loss upon relocation (based on fair market values determined by the secretary of Defense) would be reimbursed for the lost fair market value, with the servicemember/employee absorbing a “deductible” amounting to 5 percent of the pre-July 2006 value. If the person has difficulty selling the home, DoD would have authority to purchase the home at a price not to exceed 90 percent of the pre-July 2006 value. The stimulus bill language specifies this special program only could be used once, and only for a primary residence. Any previous payment under the base realignment and closure-related Homeowner Assistance Program would make the person ineligible. The House version of the stimulus bill did not contain a similar provision. MOAA strongly supports the Senate provision and has urged House and Senate leaders to retain this provision in the final stimulus bill. Other initiatives included in either the House or Senate plan, or both, include: I a $2,500 tax credit toward the first four years of higher education expenses; I more than $4 billion toward new military hospitals and ambulatory surgical centers and renovations in existing facilities; I $360 million to build more military child development centers, $1.2 billion for new military housing projects, and $154 million to upgrade current housing; and I $950 million to improve VA medical facilities. 40 MILITARY OFFICER MARCH 2009 More $22 Drugs Some nasal and asthma medications are moving up. O n Jan. 8, a DoD advisory panel recommended moving some nasal allergy and asthma medications to the third tier, or $22 copayment level. Drugs proposed for the higher copayment include Beconase AQ, Rhinocort Aqua, Omnaris, Veramyst, Patanase, and Nasacort AQ. Five medications would remain available at lower copayment levels, including Flonase, Nasarel, Nasonex, Astelin, and Atrovent. The asthma inhaler Maxair and the inhalation solution Alupent also will be moved to the higher $22 copayment. Ventolin, Proventil, Proair, and Xopenex inhalers will continue to be available at the normal copayments, along with the inhalation solutions Accuneb and Xopenex. The recommendations will be submitted to the assistant secretary of Defense (Health Affairs) for final decision. DoD will notify beneficiaries taking medications being moved to the third tier so they and their doctors can consider alternative $3 or $9 medications. Information on alternative medications can be found via TRICARE’s Formulary Search Tool at www.tricareformularysearch.org. A doctor who thinks it is important for a patient to take the third-tier medication can provide “medical necessity” justification to TRICARE. If approved, the patient will continue receiving the medication at the lower copayment. MO — Contributors are Col. Steve Strobridge, USAFRet., director; Col. Mike Hayden, USAF-Ret.; Col. Bob Norton, USA-Ret.; Cmdr. René Campos, USNRet.; Cmdr. John Class, USN-Ret.; Col. Phil Odom, USAF-Ret.; Joy Dunlap; Cass Vreeland; and Bret Shea, MOAA’s Government Relations Department. http://www.tricareformularysearch.org
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