Today's Officer - Winter 2007 - (Page 3) INCOMING Would it not make sense to use the military [health care] system as the model to bring to perfection before tampering with the entire health care system nationwide? — Cmdr. P.J. Reynierse, USN-Ret. HEALTH CARE EFFICIENCY Tom Philpott’s [Fall 2007] “Observation Post” clearly explains the double whammy being applied to the military health care system. It illustrates the bureaucratic lunacy that inevitably leads to situations such as that at Walter Reed Army Medical Center, [Washington, D.C.]. … However, there was no information to suggest that Congress is a) aware of the games being played with the budget, and b) taking immediate action to fix the problems. … Would it not make sense to use the military system as the model to bring to perfection before tampering with the entire health care system nationwide? If the government can’t adequately keep its promises to those who are currently serving — as well as those of us who have served faithfully and are now retired — regarding health care, how can they begin to think they can solve the problem for everyone? — CMDR. P.J. REYNIERSE, USN-RET. via e-mail THINK TANK NATION Dr. Alan Gropman’s [July 2007] column, “Think Tank Nation” [www.todaysoffi cer.org] [is a] good idea for a column. I’ve dealt with some think tanks over my years of experience and am always amazed at the material they turn out after the fact. Gropman [should] get one of the think tanks to develop a brief for what the U.S. Army needs to look like before the July 4, 2011, attack on Washington D.C., [New York City], Boston, etcetera. Look forward, get into the heads of those who would wage war against the U.S., and try to figure out what the Army needs to look like to defeat that attack before it happens. I’m tired of reading/seeing think tank efforts that tend to put the U.S. military in a defensive light, i.e. playing “catch-up” to some transformation in response to an attack. — COL. CHUCK BENARDO, USAR-RET. via e-mail MORE ON SBP The Survivor Benefit Plan (SBP) is not for every retiree. However, it is a solid program for most and about 80 percent of retirees do participate fully in the plan. I would like to respond to Colonel Ruderman’s comments in the Fall 2007 “Incoming”: 1. Yes, SBP premiums increase with COLA each year, but so does the annuity to the survivor. Any plan that provides that kind of COLA protection would need to have increasing premiums. There are life insurance products that have premium increases with no increase in benefits — [Veterans’ Group Life Insurance], for example. … 2. All annuities are taxed to some extent, many fully if they came from funds previously untaxed, such as military retired pay or an annuity purchased with a qualified retirement plan such as a 401(k). Speaking of taxes, remember that unlike life insurance, SBP premiums are paid with pre-tax dollars. … 3. It is true that SBP premiums are not recoverable, and there are scenarios where there would be no benefit to anyone. However, the same is true for most life insurance and longevity. Most people rely on term life insurance, which terminates before they die. The premiums are not recoverable, and there is no benefit to anyone. And unlike life insurance, a surviving spouse cannot out-live the benefits of SBP. It is guaranteed, COLAprotected income for life. Additionally, young retirees will stop paying SBP premiums in their early 70s, a time when they would mostly not be able to qualify for or afford a life insurance policy of equal value to SBP. — CAPT. MIKE MCHUGH, USN-RET. via e-mail CONTACT US November is Military Family Month. Based on your experience, do you think the military does enough to support servicemember families? What could be done better? Share your thoughts by visiting www.moaa.org/discussion and clicking on Military Families. Winter 2007/08 TODAY’S OFFICER 3 http://www.todaysofficer.org http://www.todaysofficer.org http://www.moaa.org/discussion
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