"Medical care is eating us alive" "they haven't done a complete analysis". Ya send them off to war, they serve for 20 plus years..... and then that analysis crap, they ran a deep investigation into the VA disability years ago and it was determined that the pay scale is still back in the 50s and a 25% increase was recommended to bring the scale up to date. No one has heard anything about that since.
I know my above words, being ex-military and all, are extremist thoughts, so my answer to that is, big feckin deal!!!!!!!!!!!! the military comes first, not AIG!!!!!!!
As a 2 time Iraqi vet that has been put out of the Marine Corps because of medical injuries I find this article shamefull. Im 28 years old and although I have VA health care for 5 years, I should still be able to use my Tricare if I want. As a disabled vet I earned that coverage. Plus now that I am in college I dont have much of an income. Things are really tight, but they want me to pay more for health care that I need because of injuries I got overseas. It is a complete shame that the SEC of the DOD is willing to send our troops to 2 different wars on multiple tours and then raise the cost of care for those people.
We have earned these benefits for giving 20 plus of sacifice for our country and not tto mention the sacrifices our families have made. Lets cut all benefits for our Senators and Congressman as most of them have not served in the military. Graham and the other are rich Senators and could care less about us. We are tired of the "BROKEN PROMISES" and just want what is due to us.
Twenty six years service and getting ripped off again. I guess BOHICA is true. Bend Over,Here It Comes Again! Let's give the money to Iraq & Afghanistan and screw the vets. Makes me wonder why I even bothered to serve. How about we let us old veterans run the show and let the politicians carry the guns for awhile.
Let DOD increase the TRICARE rates twice the rate that the retiree pay raise was this year. Than no more than the rate of the pay raise each year following.
DOD has commissioned many studies, but they all come back not supporting the fee increases. That is probably why the studies don't get widely published.
You can bet the members of congress won't allow theirs to go up and if it does they'll just give themselves a raise to cover it. They need to wake up, if we don't have something to look forward to why go at all.
Should of seen this coming! Cut the CRAP! We need to get the Pharma Companies together and fix price for DOD and the VA.
Cut all retirement benifits for the Congress. they must serve 18 years 6 months to recieve 60% of base pay) NOT one term with full pay for the rest of their lives!
Not sure who Gates is talking about. I have not spent 1 dime of the VA's money on whatever health care benefits I am suppose to have.
Beside that fact, It is our obligation as a country to take care of those that have severed. Even though that concept does not seem to apply to me after 20 years of service. Screw me, as long as the ones that have seen combat are taken care of that's fine with me. But apparently that is not the case. What a SHAME of a nation we live in that does not take care of it Combat veterans.
Also what a shame of a nation we are that allows the concept of capitalism to place people in a position that than can not afford to live or breath because of money. Either 1 of 2 things need to happen, we either lower cost of healthcare so people can afford it, or we go to a national health care system. I know most of you do not like that idea, but if it lowers the cost of what this country pays out in tax money on healthcare, I am all for it.
Cut all retirement benifits for the Congress. they must serve 18 years 6 months to recieve 60% of base pay) NOT one term with full pay for the rest of their lives!
I agree with this as well. It is time that over paid government employees (which is probably 90% of them) join the cost savings party as well. Specially Congress and the Senate.
The military should have the same health care that Congress has. Every time Congress gives themselves a pay raise the military should get one automatically. And if Congress is really serious about reeling in medical costs the first place to start would be with the health care providers. No one should profit from sickness and injury.
Of all escape mechanisms, Death is the most efficient. ~~ H.L. Mencken
Totally agree. Most of those fat rat peices of horse dung never even put on a boy or girl scout uniform, but they think they know what's best for the military. Yeah, right, like seending $900,000,000 to the palestinians who danced in the street when we were attacked in 2001. Sick rat finks.
quote:
Originally posted by 9907442: We have earned these benefits for giving 20 plus of sacifice for our country and not tto mention the sacrifices our families have made. Lets cut all benefits for our Senators and Congressman as most of them have not served in the military. Graham and the other are rich Senators and could care less about us. We are tired of the "BROKEN PROMISES" and just want what is due to us.
Doubling the TriCare rates seems a bit overboard immediately. What is Congress paying for their healthcare? What are federal employees paying for their healthcare? Will veterans/retirees be paying more than them?
Apparently he thinks that all retires are still working. That isn't the case. Even when I was working spouse coverage under my other insurance group would have cost me a full months paycheck with nothing to bring home. Tricare has helped pay my expenses when I was hospitalized numerous times for kidney stones plus other medical expenses. I can't afford an increase now.
This is totally appalling that we have to even have a discussion on this subject of Tricare. This benefit was promised to all veterans who served long enough to get a retirement. Now the government wants to charge the retiree some huge amount of premiums to have Tricare just so they'll go out and try to find it cheaper elsewhere. Well, I got to tell you, those wanting this to come about need to try and live on what the Military pays an enlisted E8 retiree with 21 years of service. All I got to say to them is "thanks alot pal".
I want to post a comment, but I am so ****ed off at our legislators, and Mr. Gates, that I cannot fully express how I feel about this. Our Congress and President are living in a bubble in Washington, DC land, and then accuse Veterans of being Right Wing Extremists.....WTF! Our Homeland Security leader is in wackoland as well. Take care of the troops and quit bailing out AIG, GM, and other countries. Who saved the Edsel, and Studebaker? Only the strong survive. Weak leadership brings about weak business practices. I fear our countries political leadership is weak and self serving!
Here we go again! Serve 20 years or more to get what?!? Not my fault the services can't control their spending. I was happy with CHAMPUS. You changed it and still promised good care! I agree with another poster, senators and congressmen need to be allowed to serve twenty years and get tricare medical and possibly a 50% pension.
Notice I said allowed, If they do a good job and don't get voted out!
There is a bill out there numbered H.R. 816 to keep our tricare fees from being raised. I urge all of you retired or just served to write your congressman about getting passed. Last i checked 94 Dems and Reps signed on as cosponsors. Remember, the silent majority never wins. It is time we fight to keep what we earned.
As I have requested of my Congressional Reps & Sens; before you touch any health care benefits due to our Veterans, first legislate to make it illegal to fund the cost of medical care to the countless millions of illegal aliens flooding this nation, & take the cost of premiums out of career welfare addicts checks. This will go a long way toward freeing up vital funds for contracted tricare & health care coverage for our Vets who have served, & have often paid the price in blood & bone....
and then that analysis crap, they ran a deep investigation into the VA disability years ago and it was determined that the pay scale is still back in the 50s and a 25% increase was recommended to bring the scale up to date. No one has heard anything about that since. 
