http://www.military.com/military-report/tricare-benefic...away?ESRC=miltrep.nl

TRICARE Beneficiaries About to be Turned Away?
Week of June 02, 2008

Barring congressional action, the Medicare payment rate to physicians will be reduced by 10.6% in July of 2008. This directly affects TRICARE beneficiaries because TRICARE payment rate is based upon Medicare's sustainable growth rate (SGR) update formula. This means that doctors will be forced to accept less money for medical procedures. In the past these reductions have caused doctors to turn away TRICARE patients and will likely do so again if the reduced payment rates are not blocked.

This issue will adversely affect survivors, retirees, members of the active-duty, Guard and reserve and their families, especially those living far from military installations. There are already some doctors in remote areas who refuse to see new TRICARE patients. Without congressional action to ensure these cuts don't take effect, more doctors may chose to turn TRICARE beneficiaries away.


Well sounds like we may be about to take it in the shorts yet again. So much for taking care of those who serve.

quote:

Originally posted by NAVY_GRUNT:
http://www.military.com/military-report/tricare-benefic...away?ESRC=miltrep.nl

TRICARE Beneficiaries About to be Turned Away?
Week of June 02, 2008

Barring congressional action, the Medicare payment rate to physicians will be reduced by 10.6% in July of 2008. This directly affects TRICARE beneficiaries because TRICARE payment rate is based upon Medicare's sustainable growth rate (SGR) update formula. This means that doctors will be forced to accept less money for medical procedures. In the past these reductions have caused doctors to turn away TRICARE patients and will likely do so again if the reduced payment rates are not blocked.

This issue will adversely affect survivors, retirees, members of the active-duty, Guard and reserve and their families, especially those living far from military installations. There are already some doctors in remote areas who refuse to see new TRICARE patients. Without congressional action to ensure these cuts don't take effect, more doctors may chose to turn TRICARE beneficiaries away.


Well sounds like we may be about to take it in the shorts yet again. So much for taking care of those who serve.

It's an election year and the democrats want to be seen as the party that cares about the military, after all the dumb things they have said. So, I would wager, that the democrats won't let it happen, if for no other reason, than to try and garner military votes in the upcoming election...
Ain't election years great...
Respectfully, SUNLINER81

Bill read your msg

I agree that this will be a look what we did for you item soon. But all parties are to blame for the mess we have. Stupidity and greed are not just confined to one party, even if some are better at showing it more often than others...

Too big of a military = cut back in benefits.

10.6 sounds too high. You sure the decimal is in the right place??

These cut backs happen because vets and retirees don't tell the right people how they feel..if the roaches in DC don't hear from us they think we like getting screwed.

quote:

Originally posted by moe1942:
10.6 sounds too high. You sure the decimal is in the right place??

These cut backs happen because vets and retirees don't tell the right people how they feel..if the roaches in DC don't hear from us they think we like getting screwed.

Well, yeah we do, just not in that manner...
LOL Respectfully, SUNLINER81

NAVY GRUNT/SUNLINER, etal---Good Gawdddd!!! What is next?? Oh, I've got it, let's reduce the military retirement pay for those drawing it so we can fund social security to the illegal aliens--you know those military types, always willing to lend a hand to the needy. I am so fed up with those in the government who have "dame brammage", sit around and think up this crap as though they have nothing else to do. I'd like to throw them in the middle of a really great firefight, give them an old M1A1, pat them on the back and say, "you need any help, just call on me, I'll be about 12 clicks east--but just hollar---yepperrs, I'll be there and leave that Rolex with me, just in case of pickpockets". I have written, e-mailed everything I could think of and the Pres hasn't called me yet, but am hopeful he will since we're brothers under the skin in that I too, live in Texas. We have three (of all the people in America) great people running for Pres (scuse me, passing gas right now)and I'm afraid one of them will get the nod and actually get elected. Life timetable, I am glad I may not be around to see the next 10-15 years, but I fear for this country, our military, who I know will put up a better fight than our politicians. If for just a day, if we could have open season on lawyers, politicians and anything with a turbin on its head, I think we'd be okay for the next 100 years--oops, and conservationists, tree huggers and a blank for what I've forgotten. Never fear, a nuke war is around the corner, but then so is God and if we didn't get our Medals of Honors, we will in the afterlife. Whew! Now I feel better

quote:

Originally posted by moe1942:
10.6 sounds too high. You sure the decimal is in the right place??

These cut backs happen because vets and retirees don't tell the right people how they feel..if the roaches in DC don't hear from us they think we like getting screwed.

Oh they hear from us...just not in terms they understand. Takes a little organization. One way might be to look at voting records, identify those who have voted against veterans issues and vote their sorry a$$es out of office. Sends a pretty strong signal. But our veterans organizations going hat in hand to politicans saying "please sir...may I have some more sir" doesn't cut it.

Some Doctors here in North Texas have been doing that for years. About
7 years ago my Father in law, a Retired AF had to look around for a while
untill he found a Heart Surgeon who would take Tri Care. That was for his
2nd quad by pass.

By rights a Doctor can accept what he or she wants, BUT if a Doctor does
not want too accept what America wants to give it`s VETS, Screw em. The
Doctor does not deserve his job in this Country.

quote:

Originally posted by gzo2:
Some Doctors here in North Texas have been doing that for years. About
7 years ago my Father in law, a Retired AF had to look around for a while
until he found a Heart Surgeon who would take Tri Care. That was for his
2nd quad by pass.

By rights a Doctor can accept what he or she wants, BUT if a Doctor does
not want too accept what America wants to give it`s VETS, Screw em. The
Doctor does not deserve his job in this Country.

I can agree with you to a point. I have seen both sides of the doctor's issue. My wife worked for a doctor that accepts TRICARE and Medicare, as well as many other insurance plans. He as said on more than one occasion he will always accept TRICARE/Champus or what ever it may become. He is a retired Navy Doctor and will go out of his way for his patients. However, his practice always takes a loss on reimbursements from TRICARE and Medicare. Some of the test, treatments, medications etc. he runs, cost more for him to purchase than the allowed reimbursement from the two plans. I know that some doctors, and most hospitals charge an outrageous amount for things ($20.00 for a single pill of Tylenol when a bottle of 100 pills cost $5.00), but there are still some out there that are in it to take care of people and not screw them in the wallet.