If your email software garbles this message you can find the complete text on the OFNetwork website.
How true!
Military Healthcare Under Attack? Again the Rumors??
I received an email from the “Uniformed Services Disabled Retirees” this past week warning me that the Obama Administration is, to quote the email, “…to make cuts in its spending…” by hitting up active duty, family members and retirees with fees. This email quotes the same Congressional Budget Office report that I talked about some issues ago but presents them more as fact than the ‘options’ they are.
The MOAA webpage “Health Care Happenings” has a response to this particular ‘alert’ that basically puts this issue to rest, at least in their opinion, for this legislative year. They (and I) believe that the big issue this legislative year will be Medicare and how to cover that shortfall. Here’s the complete MOAA response:
“We’ve received a ton of inquiries from members who received a chain message with this subject line that talks about a Congressional Budget Office idea to jack up fees for TRICARE for Life beneficiaries.
The content is based on truth, but it’s about 6 months out of date and is no longer relevant. If you receive the message from someone, please DON’T forward it on, but refer them to this answer about it.
Unfortunately, things sent out on the internet acquire lives of their own that go on long after the origin has been overcome by events.
The message refers to a Congressional Budget Office (CBO) options list that was prepared last year. It provided a list of options (not recommendations) that government leaders might consider if they wanted to increase or cut spending in various areas of government – health care in this case.
The CBO puts out this kind of list after every congressional election. In most cases, nothing comes of the recommendations – at least those on military health care.
Worries that such initiatives would show up in President Obama’s budget proved unfounded. The new budget proposes fully funding TRICARE for the first time in four years – with no proposed benefit reductions or fee increases.
That said, we do think it’s only a matter of time before there are new efforts to cut back on military health care spending – including TRICARE For Life.
The most likely immediate challenge will come on Medicare, which is costing significantly more than current payroll taxes can sustain. We expect that fixing this situation will be a major focus of the Administration and Congress in the coming few years. MOAA will be tracking that issue closely to ensure any changes reflect fairness for all.
In the longer term, we believe Congress will eventually try to shift more costs to beneficiaries for TFL, most likely in the form of an enrollment fee, which MOAA doesn’t support. We believe strongly that Congress did the right thing in enacting TFL in 2001, and that nothing has changed during the last 7 years of war to make military retirees any less deserving of this crucial health coverage. If and when any such proposals arise, MOAA and our members will lead the charge to ensure it’s protected.
In the meantime, we’ll continue to remind the administration that TFL is an earned benefit and an important retention tool. And when the time comes, we’ll be asking for your support in writing your legislators to help preserve these important earned benefits.”
Notwithstanding the above, this remains a dynamic issue as evidenced by the posting on the Congressional Budget Office website on June 5th of a report entitled “The Effects of Proposals to Increase Cost Sharing in TRICARE.” This link will take you to the CBO Director’s Blog for the ‘Health’ Category. If this entry is not on the top of the list, just scroll down a bit. If you are interested in other health-related CBO items, such as those affecting Medicare, you can find entries through this same link, just keep scrolling down or go to the archives. In addition, you can find the complete CBO report on TRICARE in the OFNetwork ‘Readings’ page.
By the way, there are other items relating to Military Health Care on the MOAA “Health Care Happenings” page that you may find interesting.
More Health Care…
The Executive Office of the President Council of Economic Advisors published “The Economic Case for Health Care Reform,” on June 2, 2009. This report provides an overview of current economic impacts of health care in the United States and a forecast of the U.S. health care system in the absence of reform; an analysis of inefficiencies and market failures in the current health care system; a discussion of the key components of health care reform; and an analysis of the economic effects of slowing health care cost growth and expanding coverage. (Report also posted on the OFNetwork Readings page – print it out and read it if you are having trouble sleeping.)
Even More Health Care…
You Could be Bounced from TRICARE Prime (from the MOAA June 5th “Legislative Update”)
A new DoD policy aimed at "cleaning up" TRICARE Prime enrollment at military treatment facilities (MTF) could mean some significant changes for many Prime enrollees. TRICARE has long had established travel access standards to help beneficiaries receive timely health care. The standards require that enrollees shouldn’t be assigned a primary care manager (PCM) at a military hospital or clinic that’s more than a 30-minute drive from the beneficiary’s home address. As a practical matter, DoD never really enforced that policy. But it will be enforced now.
If they want to continue to be seen in the MTF, current Prime enrollees in the U.S. who live farther away than a 30-minute drive from the MTF will have to request a waiver of the drive-time standard from the MTF commander or the TRICARE Regional Office. Drive times will be determined by a computer program similar to MapQuest. Approved waivers will have to be renewed annually from now on.
Unless they apply for and are granted a waiver before October 1, enrollees who live more than 30 minutes (but less than 40 miles) from the MTF will be assigned a civilian primary care manager closer to their residence. Absent a waiver, those who live more than 40 miles from the MTF will be disenrolled from Prime and revert to TRICARE Standard as of October 1.
TRICARE contractors are mailing letters to all affected beneficiaries, providing detailed instructions on the waiver process.
Yet More Health Care…
TRICARE has changed the prices for some Diabetic supplies – downward! You can find specifics on the test strips at TRICARE Pharmacy OTC Medications and here’s an extract from the May-Aug 2009 “Army Echoes” newsletter concerning how one might obtain a meter for the test strips:
Beneficiaries who choose to use the preferred strips will have the opportunity to order a new meter that corresponds with their test strips. There is no cost for the new meter. Beneficiaries making the switch have many options including contacting a Military Treatment Facility pharmacy or clinic for information on how to receive a new no-cost formulary meter or contacting the companies directly:
- Bayer Contour meter: to receive one free meter call 1-800-348-8100 or visit http://www.bayerdiabetes.com/us.
- Precision Xtra, Freestyle Lite or Freestyle Freedom Lite meters: to receive one of these three meters call 1-800-224-8892, weekdays from 8 a.m.to 10 p.m. EST; or by E-mail at OrderFulfillment@abbottcustomercare.com; or visit http://www.meters.abbottdiabetescare.com.
- Accu-chek Aviva meter: to receive one free meter call 1-800-858-8072 or visit http://www.accu-chek.com.
Final Health Care Item for this Issue…
Also from the recent “Army Echoes” newsletter:
TRICARE will be waiving copayments for preventive services received in fiscal year 2009 for TRICARE beneficiaries who are not yet Medicare-eligible. As we went to press, TRICARE was still working out how they would implement this provision of the 2009 National Defense Authorization Act. As soon as details are available, we will report them in Army Echoes and on our homepage (http://www.armyg1.army.mil/retire). To make sure that you are ready when the details are announced, TRICARE beneficiaries who are not Medicare-eligible should gather your receipts for preventive care such as mammograms, colonoscopies and immunizations.
Lessons in Terrorism
There’s an interesting article on the Stratfor Global Intelligence website about the attack in Little Rock, AR last week in which one newly minted soldier was killed and other wounded. The article is entitled “Lone Wolf Lessons” and is a discussion of the difficulty in tracking and ‘controlling’ what are referred to as Lone Wolf Militants; i.e., those who operate alone.
Tech Tips
- Are you still running Windows XP and Microsoft Office 2003 or even Office XP? Do your friends and family use MS Office 2007 with it’s new “docx” formatting and you keep finding you cannot open them? If you’re in this group of folks Microsoft has prepared a FREE solution for you. It’s called the “Microsoft Office Compatibility Pack for Word, Excel, and PowerPoint 2007 File Formats.” It’s an easy download from the Microsoft website and should install on your computer without a problem. You must have the most current High-Priority/Required updates installed for MS Office XP or 2003 before you download the Compatibility Pack. The instructions on the website will help you to complete all the requirements for this update.
- Of course, there’s another solution to this ‘problem.’ You can purchase (“ackk!”) MS Office 2007 and install it on your PC. That’s potentially a pricy solution except … (drum roll here)… if you purchase it from AAFES where the Office Standard 2007 Military Appreciation Edition for PCs is currently on sale for a mere $49.99! You can purchase on-line at AAFES.COM (if you are an authorized user of the PX system) or head on down to the nearest PX and take one home today. By the way, don’t make the same mistake I did and, if you have more than one PC, buy a couple of copies – this is a 3 user version. Oh, if you have a student or you teach yourself you may be able to get a copy at an educational discount.
- Microsoft Money is going away! This item appeared on the Microsoft website recently:
“Important notice: Microsoft Money Plus will not be available for purchase after June 30, 2009. All purchased Money Plus products must be activated prior to Jan. 31, 2011. With banks, brokerage firms and Web sites now providing a range of options for managing personal finances, the consumer need for Microsoft Money Plus has changed. After suspending annual updates of Money Plus in 2008, Microsoft is announcing today that we will no longer offer Microsoft Money Plus for purchase after June 30, 2009.”
Details about what’s stopping and when are on the MS Money FAQs page. If you use Money for on-line banking you’ll want to read this page as it explains that all on-line services will end by January 31, 2011. According to the Consumer Reports article where I first saw this item only Quicken will be left as the only personal financial software you can install on your PC after MS Money goes away.
- System security update:
- MS patch Tuesday (June 9th) contained ‘bunches’ of updates for MS Windows (XP and Vista) as well as MS Office and other products. Many of them are considered ‘critical’ so you might want to download and install them if your computer is not set to automatically do so.
- Adobe released an updated version of its free Adobe Acrobat Reader software which is designed to correct some security problems. You can find the current version on the Adobe website or you can open your installed version (if it’s fairly recent) and click on ‘Help’ then ‘Check for Updates.’
- If you are running Windows Vista you might have noticed that Service Pack 2 has been released. I’ve downloaded it onto my one Vista computer and so far not experienced problems but some of the literature floating around seems to indicate problems. As no computer is exactly like another its hard to say whether or not you should do the update (if you’ve not done so already).
Reserve Retirement Thoughts…
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Is there a case for a better retirement for Reservists? Personally, I think so. Of course I am biased as my son is an Army Reservist who served in Iraq and my son-in-law is an active Marine Reservist who has served in Afghanistan.
Reserve and National Guard members today deserve a better “return on investment” for their frequent deployments and long family separations, and that should include improved health benefits and two ways to retire earlier than age 60, said Lt. Gen. Jack C. Stultz, chief of Army Reserve.
In an interview in his Pentagon office Thursday, Stultz shared his thoughts on modernizing reserve compensation so it more suitably rewards members and families who are sacrificing so much during wartime operations in Iraq and Afghanistan. He contrasted current missions for an “operational” reserve with those assigned to the Cold War-era “strategic” reserve.
“It was one weekend a month, two weeks in the summertime and we’re going to give you some retirement pay when you get to age 60. That’s a pretty good return on investment for me as a soldier,” Stultz said. You can read the full article on the Fleet Reserve Association website.
- The Army has created a retirement guide for Reserve Soldiers and Families called the “Army Reserve Non-regular Retirement Information Guide.” This guide was written to cover the unique circumstances of Reserve retirement. The guide is being distributed through the Army Reserve but is available on-line at the Army G-1 Reserve/National Guard Retirement Services Homepage. Note that there is also one for the Army National Guard. Please share this information with those who are in the Reserve / National Guard, whichever branch (I’m sure the information is somewhat applicable to any branch of the military).
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Disclaimer
This newsletter and blog is solely for the enjoyment of its readers. None of the information contained in this newsletter or on the blog is to be considered as legal or financial advice as the author is neither a lawyer or financial advisor. In so far as it is possible to determine the material is correct but has not necessarily been fully researched or verified; here’s the bottom line – you use it at your own risk. Wherever possible the source of the information for a particular article is displayed as a reference.
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