House blocks Obama’s Tricare hike authority
That’s not to say that Tricare hikes won’t happen, it’s just that the House refused to grant the Administration “new authority” for their campaign against military retirees’ Tricare costs according to the Stars & Stripes;
But in marking up its version of the fiscal 2013 defense authorization bill, the subcommittee did not adopt discreet language, as it has in the past years, that would block any Tricare fee increases.
It also did not include language, as it has previously, that would prohibit the Department of Defense from using existing authority to raise co-payments on prescription drugs for dependents and retirees who use neighborhood pharmacies or the Tricare mail order pharmacy program.
Of course, in the Senate, Lindsey Graham is busying himself to make sure the House joins him in screwing over veterans;
“Between now and the end of the fiscal year, I hope we can convince the House to accept some adjustments in premiums for Tricare, because it’s just unsustainable right now,” Graham told me in a phone interview.
Ya know what else is unsustainable, Lindsey? Those fricken $32,000 trips Leon Panetta takes home at least once every week;
“If Congress rejects all of the modest changes we’ve proposed in Tricare fees and co-pays for retirees, than almost $13 billion in savings over the next five years will have to be found in other areas such as readiness, or we could be forced to further reduce our troop strength,” Defense Secretary Leon Panetta told Pentagon reporters this month.
And, on cue, Graham, bends over for Panetta;
“I don’t believe anybody was promised free lifetime medical care. That’s a popular myth,” Graham said. “I think we have an obligation to the retired force to be generous and to be compassionate to help recruiting and retention. But, you know, there was never any contract with anybody that, for the rest of your life, you will get free medical care. That’s not part of the deal and was never part of the deal.”
Lyin’ bone smugglin’ piece of shit. It’s the reason most of us stayed for retirement, because the pension sure wasn’t all that attractive. Way to stick your brother veterans right in the ass, Lindsey, you smoldering turd.
Category: Congress sucks
What does Lindsey care about Veterans Health Care benefits going up? He gets free lifetime care and a pension that most of us will never see. Him and all his ilk in in the Senate and Congress who after only one term in Office are guaranteed a lifetime of benefits…
I would say it is time to toss them all out, but who will take their place? The political class is not one you can break into easily in this country. We have our House of Lords, we just do not call it that.
Someone needs to give Lindsey Graham a wakeup call. It was only a few years ago he was working FOR the Troops, not against them.
And for those politicians that think Military Retirees need to “pay their fair share,” send them a link to how much it will cost a Reserve/Guard Retiree with 2 Combat Tours: http://waronterrornews.typepad.com/ps/2012/04/paying-the-government-to-retire-from-the-military.html
When that Retiree is 77, he will “break even” on the costs to retire from the Military.
The problem with that scenario, WOTN, is that we retirees from the Guard are not even eligible for TriCare until we turn 60, so the mythical retiree at that site would still need to secure some other insurance until he gets to sign up for TriCare.
Still trying to figure out how to “sign up” for it. We are told to just show our ID card and expect benefits to result. So far that hasn’t really worked.
Guard members have only had TriCare a few years no matter how much active duty we had. Of course, as nearly as I can figure out, I still don’t have it.
Based on those numbers, that might be a good thing OWB, but I’ve been told that was the one benefit Reserve Component Troops received upon retirement.
Apparently it is, WOTN, but “retirement” is age 60 without regard to when we seperate.
I seperated in 2004, the day I realized that I was not keeping up, pulling my weight. At age 60, I had to file for benefits including retirement pay.
It is presumed that most traditional Guardsmen (both Army and Air) have insurance through either full-time employment or a spouse. There are no retirement benefits that accrue to Guardsmen until they complete 20 years service, without regard to how much actual active duty they have pulled. (Some of us, especially in flying units, can work so close to full-time that there really is no time for another job. We call that “Guard bumming.” Still no bennies until age 60 and 20 calender years service.)
Not sure how things have changed recently. There has been some pretty good stink over Guardsmen being disabled during the past 10 years, but having no or extremely limited benefits for care when seperated – read that to be that a 20-something year old is activated to federal service, went to SW Asia, is seriously injured but has no military benefits at all because he had less than 20 years total service. Assume an older guy, same injuries, who has over 20, but must wait until age 60 to receive any benefits. Meanwhile, they have both been medically discharged because they are no longer qualified to serve.
I understand that some of this has changed, but I don’t know the details. It is supposed to be greatly improved, though.