I just read on MIL.com how there is a proposal for raising fees on the Program. 65+ retirees on medicare are facing a proposal to pay a fee in addition to your Medi/Care payments. I suggest everyone go that site.
Everyone should be writing their members of Congress.
I don't about you but during my service 57/77 all we were ever told was serve 20 and we would have medical coverage for life.
Pay was pretty pathetic during those years. Let all your friends know about this.

THIS IS JUST ANOTHER BACKDOOR STEP TO SCRAP MEDICARE AND TRI-CARE TO PRIVATIZE MEDICAL INSURANCE.

THERE IS A PROPOSED CUT OF 10% IN THE BUDGET FOR REIMBURSEMENT TO DOCTORS FROM MEDICARE TO GO INTO EFFECT IN JULY. MY PRIMARY CARE PHYSICIAN SAID HE MAY HAVE TO STOP ACCEPTING NEW MEDICARE PATIENTS AND PERHAPS CUT OTHERS IF THIS OCCURS!

GREED CONTINUES AND HAS RUINED THIS COUNTRY IN THE LAST 7 YEARS! BORROW AND SPEND HAS NOT WORKED THIS TIME AS IT DID NOT IN THE LATE 80S.

You are correct. I served from 1957 to 1982. When we retired most of us were not allowed to use military hospitals and the VA hospitals wanted only to see service connected vets.

Not much has changed over the past years. Tri-care for life is helping but if fees are required,then what. Seems like we are just a number from the past. One would think after 20 years of service someone would care.

Our elected officials receive good health care. Why not retired military members.

Hello: People this problem is being proposed again. You better start writing your reps. Because one these days it's going to happen. I can't believe some people on this site are so apathetic when it comes to real issues. You see such trivial subjects.
When you have start paying for Medi care and TFL than you'll say how did this happen.
When I went in 57 all you ever heard was do 20 yrs and medical coverage would be there for life fre for you and family. They used to use the pathetic pay raise which were few and small as a excuse saying some of those monies went toward benefits. There were never raises year after year.

People that are making it a career and all you retirees better take note. I got a message from mIl.com that had several items pertaing to TRI Care.
The Congressional Budget office tells on PG 189 of their budget that TFL is too expensive.
It is proposing that retirees start paying $525.00 of the 1st medical cost and than pay 50% of the next $4725.00 of medicare costs. It will also go up with the same cola %. I can't believe how people haven't addressed this on going issue . Sooner or later it's going to happen if people don't write the powers to be. Write before it's too late.

I am going to paste an article from the MOAA newsletter about these "proposals" since links are not allowed:

"A document published by the Congressional Budget Office (CBO) in December 2008 has been causing understandable consternation on many fronts, including the military and veteran community.

Ominously titled “Budget Options: Volume 1, Health Care” (with more volumes yet to come on other issues), it offers “115 options for reducing (or, in some cases, increasing) federal spending on health care, altering federal health care programs, and making substantive changes to the nation’s health insurance system.”

Those options range from authorizing private sector workers to purchase coverage under the federal civilian health plan to raising the Medicare eligibility age to 67 and raising Medicare Part B premiums by 40 percent.

There are several, in particular, that grab the attention of the military and veterans community, including options that would:


Authorize a $500 annual health care allowance for active duty families but charge them 10 percent of the cost of care and impose a fee for them to use military hospitals and clinics.
Change TRICARE For Life so it would not cover the first $525 of Medicare-eligible military beneficiaries annual cost-share and cover only half of the next $4,725. This option also would impose charges for those who use military hospitals and clinics.
Raise TRICARE fees for military retirees under age 65 to more than double the current rates. Annual enrollment fees for TRICARE Prime would be $550 (single) and $1,100 (family). TRICARE Standard deductibles would be raised to $350 (single) and $700 (family) plus an annual enrollment fee of $50 (single) and $100 (family), plus additional charges for those who use military facilities.
End VA health care eligibility for veterans in categories 7 and 8 (nondisabled vets above certain income levels).
Reopen VA health care enrollment to category 8 veterans for five years.

First things first: It’s important to understand that this book of options is nothing new. CBO puts out similar lists of options at the start of every Congress, and previous option books have included these or similar proposals. Some of the cuts were, in fact, put in the Bush administration’s annual budgets, but they were rebuffed by Congress every year.

Second, these are “options” put forth by CBO, not “recommendations.” In many cases, the papers acknowledge there are downsides to the proposals, such as the likelihood that higher fees will deter beneficiaries from seeking needed care.

Are we saying you shouldn’t be concerned? Definitely not. For one thing, the incoming budget czar for President-elect Obama has been the head of CBO – the agency that prepared the budget options list.

It’s a complete unknown at this point what the new President might put in his first budget proposal to Congress – expected sometime this spring. We’ve seen no indication at this point that the new Administration will share the perspective of the last one that more costs ought to be shifted to DoD and VA beneficiaries. But there’s certainly no guarantee the new budget won’t include any such proposals.

What we are confident of is, whether or not this year’s budget proposes any of these or other benefit cutbacks, it’s only a matter of time before the attacks will come again.

With the nation in such a deep economic funk and skyrocketing annual budget deficits as far as the eye can see, every area of the national budget will be coming under scrutiny for possible cutbacks.

With the nation at war, there remains considerable sensitivity in Congress to imposing additional penalties on the military and veterans community that already has borne such a disproportional share of the nation’s wartime sacrifice.

But once those wartime headlines start to fade, watch out."

Why Worry
You have the right handle for this topic. People better start worrying about these proposals. I can't believe how few have or seemed to pay any attention to this article about the Tricare programs.

I have read about them trying to raise our Tricare fees. I sent e-mails to my senator and congressman. Gave them the full story about yhe bailout to banks and auto industry million airs and trying to raise my tricare fees. I heard back from all of them that they would not support such a bill. Write to your senator and congressman and let them know how you feel.

Cowboy
I've written to my my reps KYL,McCain,Flake twice. They are all GOP and haven't gotten a answer from any of them in response to my e-mails.

FYI - received the following from NAUS:



****NEWS RELEASE****



White House Gives Welcome News to NAUS: No TRICARE Fee Increase


Springfield, Virginia (5/6/09) – Bill Matz, President of the National Association for Uniformed Services® (NAUS), was called by White House staff assistant Matthew Flavin, and told that the President’s 2010 Budget, due to be released in the next few days, will not include any TRICARE fee increases. The White House call was in response to NAUS’ strongly worded letter hand-delivered by Matz when he met President Obama in early April.



This is welcome news for military health care system beneficiaries, who have battled against Defense Department plans to increase TRICARE fees for the past three years. Until receipt of the White House call, the new Administration plans were uncertain. It was widely thought that the Pentagon would continue its attack on TRICARE fees as recommended by the Defense Department’s hand-picked 2007 Task Force on the Future of Military Health Care. Matz was told that the President used words to the effect of, We’re not touching TRICARE. The President also said, “We have a sacred trust to those who wear the uniform of the United States of America. It’s a commitment that begins at enlistment, and it must never end.”



“This is an important budget victory and shows that President Obama is willing to listen to the concerns of our nation’s uniformed servicemembers and retirees,” Matz said. “Giving priority in the budget to the health care promises made to our men and women who serve, and have served, in uniform is an important recognition of our nation’s commitment to those who serve and sacrifice in her defense…particularly, when we’re at war.”

Thanks for sharing that.


(Old Fordham Mike)

My problem with tricare is the Dental care, we all need dental care. All the so called good plans out there "Suck". Since I retired I've not been able to get dental of any kind. One office I called told me its because I'm a Vietnam Vet and I was exposed to A/O. another one said I make to much money, and the story goes on. What is it that dental has to cost more money then building a new ship. I've sent E-Mails and made phone calls. The folks topside just turn there backs, lets fix the banks first and take over a car company ps ps ps ps ps ps ps. They got there dental plan.. "Boats" Al..

As someone who works in dental we push this to the retiree population that come in to our clinic time to time. I cannot tell you if they are any good or not but here is their web site.
"http://www.trdp.org/"