RE: http://www.military.com/features/0,15240,158997,00.html

Greetings and special blessings to one and all.

I would think that a small increase, not to exceed the COLA pay increases that we receive would be OK. I think common sense would tell us that we can not keep going as we are.

I also feel that we will not see any increase in 2008 for 2009 since this is an election year.

I think maybe there should be a grandfather clause that protects service people up until the time that the draft was stopped and military pay was greatly increased.

May God richly bless and keep each of you.

HAVE A BLESSED AND VERY HAPPY NEW YEAR IN 2008.

In His Service,

Grover

It is time that all Washington politicians be put on the same 50% plus retirement system and Tricare medical when they finish their time in office.

Re the Dancer's suggestion. In order to
get Congress to release their SUPER GOLDEN
retirement package it would no doubt take
at least 5 Army Divisions to complete the job.

I disagree Grover. Think about what would have happened to you if you decided to change the rules because you got an assignment you didn't want, or the base housing (if available) was substandard, or that you would have to be deperated from your family? Think the military would have understood and left you out (without any legal isues)? I think a promise is a promise and should be honored. I honored my promise to the nation, it is time for them to honor theirs. I have been retired 21 years and have not relied on Tricare, because I did not have to. There are others who aren't in a position to pay these higher premiums and nor should they have to. I am young enough to work some retirees are not. We need to look out for our Brothers in Arms.

quote:

Originally posted by Grover1945:
Greetings and special blessings to one and all.

I would think that a small increase, not to exceed the COLA pay increases that we receive would be OK. I think common sense would tell us that we can not keep going as we are.

I also feel that we will not see any increase in 2008 for 2009 since this is an election year.

I think maybe there should be a grandfather clause that protects service people up until the time that the draft was stopped and military pay was greatly increased.

May God richly bless and keep each of you.

HAVE A BLESSED AND VERY HAPPY NEW YEAR IN 2008.

In His Service,

Grover

William,

I am not sure what you are disagreeing with.

I was in substandard housing once and the Army paid to move me to better quarters. I was departed from my family for a tour in Vietnam.

I said we needed a grandfather clause and that the increase should not be more than the annual COLA and that nothing would be increased in 2008 since this is an election year.

"I disagree Grover. Think about what would have happened to you if you decided to change the rules because you got an assignment you didn't want, or the base housing (if available) was substandard, or that you would have to be departed from your family? Think the military would have understood and left you out (without any legal issues)? I think a promise is a promise and should be honored. I honored my promise to the nation, it is time for them to honor theirs. I have been retired 21 years and have not relied on Tricare, because I did not have to. There are others who aren't in a position to pay these higher premiums and nor should they have to. I am young enough to work some retirees are not. We need to look out for our Brothers in Arms.


quote:
Originally posted by Grover1945:
Greetings and special blessings to one and all.

I would think that a small increase, not to exceed the COLA pay increases that we receive would be OK. I think common sense would tell us that we can not keep going as we are.

I also feel that we will not see any increase in 2008 for 2009 since this is an election year.

I think maybe there should be a grandfather clause that protects service people up until the time that the draft was stopped and military pay was greatly increased.

May God richly bless and keep each of you.

HAVE A BLESSED AND VERY HAPPY NEW YEAR IN 2008.

In His Service,

Grover"

Well here we go again! Either the active duty gets it where the sun doesn't shine, or the retirees get it. Why not have the elected officials have to pay for medical, such as being proposed for the retirees? Surely we have done at least equal to them in their duties. OH I forgot, they are getting all the pork for their districts and don't have time to worry about us who have already paid the price. Sorry I forgot myself....I don't understand Grover when he states no more than the cola? That's 2% that I won't get in my paycheck....

Well if they would allow us to use the Bank of Congress then we wouldn't NEED to worry about the cost of health care...

Hmm...

Greetings and special blessings to one and all.

Gerald, you stated "I don't understand Grover when he states no more than the cola? That's 2% that I won't get in my paycheck...."

Please, stop and think, that is not 2% of your entire paycheck. That is just 2% of the TRICARE fees. Your retired pay is $2,000.00 per month, 2% would be $40.00. TRICARE is $100.00 per year, 2% of that is just $2.00.

If you notice, the rise in Part B on Medicare is only .75 cents more than our COLA this year. The past two years or more it has jumped a lot more than the COLA.

May God richly bless and keep you.

In His Service,

Grover

quote:

Originally posted by Grover1945:
I would think that a small increase, not to exceed the COLA pay increases that we receive would be OK. I think common sense would tell us that we can not keep going as we are.

Which touches on a related subject: COLA. Government inflation figures are a farce and far too low. Calculated using the methodology used by the federal government back in 1980, annual inflation for 2007 was 12%

http://www.shadowstats.com/alternate_data

Compare that with your COLA adjustment.

This has both political and budgetary benefits for the government. The budgetary savings gleaned from using statistical tricks to artificially lower the inflation rate figures amount to many tens if not hundreds of billions of dollars when all federal benefit programs are considered.

As usual, they lie, we suffer. If the government tells you the sky is blue, better go outside and look because it has probably changed color.

Told the HH6 about this article this morning; she callled TRICARE and they didn't know what she was talking about. Could this be just a hoax or what, to get all us retirees scared?

Greetings and special blessings to one and all.

There is no HOAX, TRICARE is not going to know anything since this increase is only a recommendation by a study group. The increase will have to be brought before Congress and passed, so far Congress has not allowed any increases to be passed in the last few years.

We need not jump to the idea that the fees are going to go up this year or even next year, it will take at least 2 or 3 years.

Example, they keep trying to do away with the Chaplain's Branch. They have been bringing up the idea for over 40 years now. We still have Chaplains. A Civilian pastor may work state side but would not work in a combat zone.

May God richly bless and keep each of you.

In His Service,

Grover

Well, won't that be nice of the scumbag politicians, to give us a year or two reprieve, before they give us the golden shaft...Again!
I'm a 100% disabled vet and retiree, living on a fixed income. 22 months ago, I was on Tricare Standard, because I couldn't afford the qtrly premiums for Tricare Prime at the time. Then I had a near fatal accident and got overwhelmed with numerious and expensive Co-Pays, that have ruined my credit ratings and put me in financial difficulty for the last year and a half. A year ago, I managed to cut back on my remaining expenses and signed up for Tricare Prime, just in time for two more hospital stays. Now these flamming anal orfaces in Washington are going up the fee some more, continuing my financial distress. I gave my 100+% service to the country, my good health, youth, & dedication, and The scumbag politicians give us the infinite shaft. B.O.H.I.C.A. Boys!!!!! Thanks Washington You@#$!$%^&*+'s!!!!!

There are some good arguments here. I agree that a 2% increase does not sound like a lot but I also agree that a bargain is a bargain.

While a 2% increase is not a lot of money, it is less money that we have to meet other needs. In the article there is reference that people opt to use civilian services rather than military. I have not been retired long but I will tell you that a lot of this is due to the quality of care that is received in military hospitals as well as the quality of the doctors that are hired by the military to staff military hospitals.

Because our government allows the private sector to continue to charge astronomical prices for care and services, why would any doctor want to work for the military at significantly lower income than they can make in the civil arena?

Why is any tri-care recipient that lives within comuting distance of a military hospital given an option to use civilian services unless that service is not available at the military hospital? It seems to me that only those retirees that live away from military installation should be allowed to use any services other than military hospitals, again unless those services are not available? While I understand that a lot of retirees do not live around military installations, I believe that a rule or clause like this would save tri-care a lot of money. I also believe that it would cause more good doctors to work for the military hospitals if they stop seeing so many patients in there civilian practices.

Just my 2 cents.

I don't think TRICARE fees should be raised. The person who wrote the artical that retirees are abusing the system are wrong. When I turned 65 and got medicare & went on TRICARE for Life, I was told by the Civilian Specialist working at the Base Hospital on Columbus AFB, MS that I could no longer use the hospital facilities, but I could get my Rx filled, ya right drive 50 plus miles one way just for Rx. Now who is kidding who about misuse of the system. I would rather use the military doctors even if I did have to drive 50 miles.

I served the US for over 23 years total, and the military (US Government) always promised that, for my loyal sacrifices, I and my family would be looked after. During my service I saw Tricare fees introduced and felt it was unfair to ask us to pay for promised medical care while we were being paid so much less than our civilian counter-parts. Now instead of repairing a broken medical system, it looks like the easiest way will be to just throw more money at it. Here's a workable solution for your public officials, why not ask the rest of the country to pony up and support the military members, retirees, and their families, instead of just paying lip service to them and waving a flag every once and a while. Make it mandatory for all doctors, medical care facilities, and pharmacies in the US to provide service to those active and retired military members and their families at the approved Tricare rates. This would not only solve the problem of getting care near to where you live but they could close down the expensive military facilities like Bethesda that no one goes to anyway, except for government officials. Though that sounds pretty frightening to the elected officials who desperately want to be re-elected. They just need to remember what we have seen and done for their liberty and safety. You can bet that none of the people on the Task Force have stood on the wall for our country and so have no right to tell us what is fair.