Military Officer - September 2006 - (Page 36) washingtonscene acy/trrx_contact.cfm. For the TRICARE Mail Order Pharmacy (TMOP), go to www .tricare.osd.mil/pharmacy/tmop_contact.c fm or call (866) DOD-TMOP (363-8667). Drilling for Health Care TRICARE opens to all drilling Guard and Reserve members. Putting a Price Tag on War Hill researchers compare historical war expenses. T E very year, Congress passes appropriation measures and, in some cases, more than one emergency funding measure to fund the global war on terrorism. Therefore, it can be difficult to confirm exactly what amounts are being budgeted for this war. The Congressional Research Service recently released a summary of the cost to the U.S. Treasury — and also listed the cost of past wars in U.S. history, showing costs at the time of the war and translating those “then year” costs to 2006 dollars. See below. Remember When War Only Cost $1 Billion? “Cheap” wars went out with muskets and cannonballs. The Congressional Research Service recently compared historical costs of U.S. wars (in billions). Current (Then Year) Dollars Constant (FY 2006) Dollars War American Revolution War of 1812 Mexican War Civil War (US) Civil War (CSA) Spanish-American War World War I World War II Korean War Vietnam War Desert Storm Global War on Terrorism 36 0.1 0.09 0.08 2.3 1.0 0.3 33 296 67 111 61 n/a 3.6 1.1 2.0 56.3 24.5 7.3 642 3,211 691 650 92 439 he Pentagon has announced that all drilling Guard and Reserve members can sign up for year-round TRICARE coverage for a premium that will vary based on a couple of conditions — but they have to sign up before Nov. 25. Until now, year-round TRICARE coverage was available only to Guard and Reserve members who had been mobilized for at least 90 days since Sept. 11, 2001. The FY 2006 Defense Authorization Act, passed late last year, opened eligibility to all drilling members of the Guard and Reserve. It created a tiered system of cost shares that vary depending on mobilization status and access to employersponsored insurance. The original (Tier 1) benefit, for those mobilized since Sept. 11, 2001, has a monthly premium of $81 and $253 for self and family coverage, respectively. That premium represents 28 percent of the overall cost of providing the coverage, known as TRICARE Reserve Select (TRS). For each 90-day mobilization increment, the member can purchase one year of TRS coverage. The member must agree to remain in drill status. The new open season is for members who haven’t been mobilized since Sept. 11, 2001, or whose previous eligibility has expired. Their sign-up period began Aug. 1, 2006, and will end Nov. 25, 2006. The qualifications and 2006 costs are as follows: ■ Tier 2: Drilling members without access to employer-sponsored coverage will pay $145.29 or $451.42 a month for self or family coverage, respectively (50 percent of the TRS cost). MILITARY OFFICER SEPTEMBER 2006 http://www.tricare.osd.mil/pharmacy/trrx_contact.cfm http://www.tricare.osd.mil/pharmacy/tmop_contact.cfm http://www.tricare.osd.mil/pharmacy/tmop_contact.cfm http://www.tricare.osd.mil/pharmacy/tmop_contact.cfm
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