Military Officer - October 2007 - (Page 34)

washingtonscene between DoD and the VA; and ■ strongly support WRAMC by recruiting and retaining ﬁrst-rate professionals through 2011. MOAA endorses the majority of the recommendations but initially had two concerns. First, the commission appeared to recommend disability changes only for those whose disabilities were incurred in combat-related events. The commission staff subsequently clariﬁed that it wasn’t the commission’s intent to propose different disability systems for those disabled in combat versus non-combat-related events. The staff said commissioners support providing the same beneﬁts to non-combat-related disabled servicemembers and family members but didn’t address that explicitly because it wasn’t part of their charter (to review wounded warrior issues). MOAA’s second concern was with the commission’s proposed two-tiered VA disability compensation system, with one payment for reduced quality of life and another intended to offset lost earning potential. The commission staff said the quality-of-life payments would be provided for a lifetime without being subject to deduction from military retired pay. But the earnings replacement payments would cease at retirement age and be replaced by Social Security payments. MOAA recognizes a payment that explicitly represents compensation for lost income might not be needed if no income is actually lost. But disabilities can also depress Social Security payments. Further, there are major concerns about how income standards would be set. MOAA thinks the commission has done a great service identifying a large number of positive recommendations. Whenever there’s a proposal for a fundamental change to a long-standing compensation concept, there will be new issues to work through and further adjustments to recognize real-world 34 MILITARY OFFICER OCTOBER 2007 circumstances. MOAA looks forward to participating in future analysis and discussion of the commission’s work. More $22 Drugs Cholesterol, prostate, acidreﬂux, and blood pressure medications on the rise. O n July 24, Dr. S. Ward Casscells, assistant secretary of defense for Health Affairs, approved moving certain cholesterol, prostate, acid-reﬂux, and blood pressure medications to the third tier, or $22-dollar, copayment level. Cholesterol drugs: Antara, Omacor, Tricor, and Welchol will have a $22 copayment effective Oct. 24. Another cholesterol drug, Triglide, actually will have its copayment lowered to $3, because of its relatively lower cost. Cholestyramine, Colestipol HCL, Fenoﬁbrate, Gemﬁbrozil, Loﬁbra, Niacor, Prevalite, and Questran also remain available for $3. Colestid and Niaspan remain available for a $9 copayment. Prostate drugs: Avodart is moving to the third tier. Proscar and Uroxatral remain available for $9 and Finasteride for $3. Acid-reﬂux medications: Aciphex, Prevacid, Protonix, and Zegerid will be moved to the third tier, leaving Nexium, Omeprazole, and Prilosec at lower copayments. Even though it is not generic, Nexium will be offered at the generic copayment level of $3. These changes will take effect Oct. 24. Blood pressure medications: Avapro, Avalide, Benicar, and Diovan will move to the third tier effective Nov. 21. Atacand, Cozaar, Hyzaar, and Micardis are still available for $9. Beneﬁciaries who wish to avoid the higher copayments should consult their

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

Military Officer - October 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: A Hero's Welcome? Partners in Patriotism Tales from Beyond the Battlefield Financial Results of MOAA Pages of History Information Exchange Faces of MOAA Member Books MOAA Scholarship Donors Advertising Index MOAA Member Services MOAA Calendar Sounding Taps Encore

Military Officer - October 2007

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