Gates targets retiree health care
The New York Times warns us that the Defense Secretary is coming for our health benefits…once a-fucking-gain;
Of nearly 4.5 million military retirees and their families, about three-quarters are estimated to have access to health insurance through a civilian employer or group. But more than two million of them stay on Tricare. As the costs of private health care continue to climb, their numbers are only expected to grow.
Now, as part of a broad offensive to cut Pentagon spending, that group is once again in the sights of Defense Secretary Robert M. Gates, who is seriously considering whether to ask for Tricare fee increases in next year’s budget — and perhaps start one of the last fights of his public career.
See, the problem with raising Tricare fees, is that it not only impacts retirees, but also active duty recruiters, active duty ROTC instructors and, the last time I checked, the whole base at Fort Drum. Since there’s no hospital on Drum, the active duty troops there (about 10,000) and their families go downtown to the Watertown Hospital…and pay co-pays for their treatment.
And so what if retirees skip their employers’ health care plan and opt for Tricare instead. We earned it. If you were anything like I was, you knew the monthly payments were going to be shit and you planned on the free healthcare to be worth the twenty years of shit-pay, shit-hours and shit-lifestyle. We paid upfront for our “free” health care. Unfortunately, we thought the government was serious when they offered it to us, now every time a Democrat weasels his way into the White House, we have to fight for them all over again. Remember Bill Clinton threw all retirees over 65 onto Medicare and pulled your military health care?
Just like we do without a COLA increase this year, we’re also going to get another broken promise of health care. Gates only has a year left in his office, so guess how soon he can inflict this abomination on us?
Category: Veteran Health Care, Veterans Issues
Jonn, I think you’re wrong. Democrats always tell us they are very supportive of troops and Vets and that the republicans are the ones who always short-change the military. I mean, Bush tried to make wounded Vets pay for their own care…….no, wait, that was Bobo. Bush told retirees that they wouldn’t be getting COLA…….oops, that was Bobo, too. Bobo at least stopped and visited the wounded troops when he was in Germany!!……wait, that didn’t happen, either. I’ll keep looking, but I’m pretty sure that Vets are front and center in this administration.
BTW Bobo went to Afghanistan to serve Thanksgiving dinner to the troops……..nope, I guess it wasn’t him on that one, either. I’ll keep looking.
Old Trooper, he did go to Ft. McNair to visit the troops, oops, nope, he went there so he could get a shot to the chops. My bad, yet again.
Jonn, your quote is quite close to the same feelings some of us have re:our pensions and paid-for health care, “We paid upfront for our “free” health care. Unfortunately, we thought the government was serious when they offered it to us“.
Jonn, I’m not sure about the troops on Fort Drum but Recruiters (and probably ROTC instructors) get Tricare Prime Remote. We don’t pay anything for our health care or prescriptions despite seeing private practictioners. This will affect those of us whose families have Tricare Standard, though. My wife grew tired of the system at Fort Lee years ago and switched. I’ve been trying to get her to switch back to Prime since. Even as it stands now, medical bills pile up. Raising Tricare fees is bullshit regardless.
Also, I heard about the busted lip, but wasn’t aware it was on my old stomping grounds…
I DO believe that we didn’t receive a COLA for 2009. That would have been under Bush. (Just setting the record straight). I find it offensive that these folks in the upper echelon receive the best benefits around and for what?? Getting elected or appointed?? Those who are able to get re-elected often enough keep those benefits for life. And yet, they want to begrudge the military retiree some small benefits?? Tell ya what, cut a couple of fancy aircraft that aren’t truly needed or quit sending money overseas to support countries that hate us and re-route some of THAT money to the military retirees. I know that seems selfish, but I’m tired of getting screwed out of benefits that we have earned. Or how about that XM25 weapons system @ $38K per?? That seems AWFULLY expensive for a “gun”. (Don’t get me wrong, our soldiers & Marines need a good effective weapons system, but I think the Government is getting fleeced on that purchase, just like they’re getting fleeced on the Apache upgrades. I have personal knowledge on that.)
Thor: This year (2010) is the first time in my 16 years as a military retiree that we didn’t get a COLA. Next year (2011) will be the second time. We got a COLA in 2009. And oh, yeah, if they don’t stop the Obama Tax Hikes (formerly known as the Bush Tax Cuts) your pay will be reduced again like it was at the beginning of this year.
This sucks. I don’t use any Army benefits because I am not rated to. However, the day may come when Dx I have from the Army gives me trouble. Will they deny me care if I cannot pay? Currently, using benefits is tied to income for me. 3 years ago, I didn’t qualify. I might now.
This is just wrong.
Personally speaking, I have to agree that all you vets out there did indeed “pay up front” for these benefits. To tamper with them simply as a cost saving measure is a travesty and an insult to you and your willingness to serve. Gates has been nothing but a paper-pushing ‘yes’ man for the current administration and needs to go now.
My Dad, before he died, pointed out to me one big difference between Bush and Clinton and it applies to Obama, too. When you saw Bush exit or enter Marine One, the troops posted at the ramp snapped to smartly and threw him a salute that was sharp, precise and showed pride. Bush would return it and wouldn’t do that half-assed, ‘throw your hand at your head’ salute that Clinton and Obama both do. You can see the difference in the salutes that are given to Obama, too. They aren’t quite as crisp as they were with the last administration. To me, that speaks volumes about the level of respect (Or lack thereof) that permeates this administration.
FUCK Gates I want him and all his congressional buddies live on 9 bucks an hour w/ the same Ins as rest of us, pay bills, buy med even w/ copays and try to feed and cloth thier families. Fuck them all, I’m sick to death of em all.
The ones on the front lines are the ones keeping me free. Everyone else in the military is doing their part to support the ones on the front lines. Without the front-line troops doing the actual fighting we would be speaking a different language.
The Federal budget should be by the numbers. Each agency given a number rating and funded by their number. The military, including the VA, would be the only #1 and get their money first. This should be standard procedure.
This would also stop the pork barrel spending because the money will run out as they go down the numbers. An agency, department, committee, etc., that doesn’t get as much money as they think they should will start looking at the others and complain about any money that is pork barrel.