Military Officer - September 2006 - (Page 34) washingtonscene Monthly Increase in Inflation to Date (FY 2006) The inflation rate for July–September ‘06 will determine the retired pay COLA for 2007. Erratic month-to-month changes make reliable predictions difficult. year. A 0.9-percent decrease in energy costs contributed a smaller increase that month. Last year, the CPI had risen 3.2 percent through the month of June, but it jumped to 4.1 percent by the end of the year as energy prices spiked in the wake of Hurricane Katrina. With inflation running slightly behind last year’s pace through the end of June, MOAA’s best guess at the present time would put next year’s COLA in the 3.7-percent to 4-percent range. But that could change quickly, given continuing volatility in energy prices. TRICARE’s $22 Drug List Available ■ A chart of all drugs already approved for the third tier ($22 copayment) can be found online: www.tricare.osd .mil/pharmacy/medic al-nonformulary.cfm. More $22 Drugs DoD panel suggests additions to third-tier medications. O n June 29, the DoD Beneficiary Advisory Panel (BAP) met to review DoD physicians’ and pharmacists’ recommendations to move some contraceptive and nausea medications to the third tier, or $22, copayment level. The BAP concurred with the recommendation to move Anzamet (used for treatment of nausea and vomiting) to the third tier because of the small usage rate for that drug and because Anzamet usually is written with no refills provided to the patient. Four contraceptive drugs were recommended to be moved to the third tier: Seasonale, Ovcon-35, Ovcon-50, and Estrostep FE. Because there are 31 other contraceptive medications that will remain on the formulary at the $3 (generic) and $9 (brand name) copayment levels, the BAP concurred with that plan. The recommendations will be submitted to Dr. William Winkenwerder, assistant secretary of Defense for Health Affairs, for a final decision. Third-tier drugs might not be stocked in military treatment facility (MTF) pharmacies, but they may be special-ordered if prescribed by an MTF physician after a medical necessity determination is granted or if prescribed by a non-MTF physician to whom the patient was referred after medical necessity is determined to be warranted. For more information, contact the TRICARE retail pharmacy (TRRx) customer service line at (866) DOD-TRRX (3638779), or visit www.tricare.osd.mil/pharm 34 MILITARY OFFICER SEPTEMBER 2006 http://www.tricare.osd.mil/pharmacy/medical-nonformulary.cfm http://www.tricare.osd.mil/pharmacy/medical-nonformulary.cfm http://www.tricare.osd.mil/pharmacy/medical-nonformulary.cfm http://www.tricare.osd.mil/pharmacy/trrx_contact.cfm
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