Military Officer - May 2006 - (Page 28)

washingtonscene President Vice Adm. Norb Ryan Jr., USNRet., said the DoD proposal is “inappropriate and disproportional” and cited a MOAA survey indicating that 95 percent of active duty and retired members alike oppose the fee increases. Such increases will just “anger the troops, leave the health budget underfunded, and put our volunteer force at further risk,” he said. He offered a list of 16 alternate ways DoD could reduce health care costs without charging beneﬁciaries. Ryan also urged the subcommittee to address concerns about force size, the Survivor Beneﬁt Plan, concurrent receipt, and Guard and Reserve health care and retirement. NMFA President Tanna Schmidli opposed any enrollment fee for TRICARE Standard or any increase to pharmacy copayments but said NMFA supports a 31-percent increase in TRICARE Prime enrollment fees and TRICARE Standard deductibles over two years, with future annual increases tied to retired-pay growth. ROA Executive Director Lt. Gen. Dennis McCarthy, USMC-Ret., said ROA supports the “balanced approach of the Joint Chiefs of Staff,” who have endorsed the DoD plan. However, he recommended delaying implementation until the Pentagon does a better job of explaining its numbers and holding down its own costs. He also urged phasing the increases in over a longer period. Subcommittee Chairman Lindsey Graham (R-S.C.) expressed his opinion that, “Erosion of beneﬁts is coming. It’s a question of whether it will be a hard or a soft landing.” But both Graham and Sen. Ben Nelson (D-Neb.), the subcommittee’s senior Democrat, told reporters after the hearing that they agreed with association leaders that the Pentagon-proposed fees are too steep, that no changes should be made until DoD cleans up its own ﬁnancial house, and that any fee hikes that may ultimately be considered would be well short of those proposed by the Pentagon. M AY 2 0 0 6 Champs Offer TRICARE Bills Bipartisan legislation would limit DoD’s health fee rights. Rep. Duncan Hunter (R-Calif.) A Rep. Ike Skelton (D-Mo.) new bill introduced in the House would revoke the Pentagon’s latitude to impose TRICARE fee increases. Reps. Chet Edwards (D-Texas) and Walter Jones (R-N.C.) held a press conference with association leaders March 15 to announce their introduction of H.R. 4949, a bill that would revoke the Defense Department’s authority entirely. In effect, it would set current rates in law and require congressional action for any future change. Edwards and Jones joined with 46 other original cosponsors to introduce H.R. 4949, the Military Retirees Health Care Protection Act. They were joined at the press conference by 13 military and veterans’ association leaders. “I believe that keeping our promise of quality, affordable health care for military retirees is the right thing to do and the smart thing to do,” said Edwards. “To win the war on terrorism, we must keep faith with our warriors and stop this military retiree tax.” Jones agreed, stating, “I don’t understand any administration, Republican or Democrat, that can ask you to go to war and raise fees for military health care. Military families are watching what we’re doing; it’s an issue of trust. We have to protect those who protect us from our enemies.” Edwards and Jones sit on the three committees that control the issue. Edwards is on the House Budget Committee and is the senior Democrat on the Appropriations subcommittee that oversees military health care. Jones serves on the Armed Services Committee. 28 MILITARY OFFICER

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Military Officer - May 2006 Contents From the Editor President's Page Your Views MOAA Directory Rapid Fire Washington Scene Financial Forum Ask the Doctor Chapter Activities Raising Iraq Dogfight Fun Caring For Our Own Pages of History Information Exchange MOAA Scholarship Donors Member Books Advertising Index MOAA Calendar Sounding Taps Encore

Military Officer - May 2006

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