Obama to Soldiers: Pay Up!

[thurley42]

Originally Posted by b23hqb

Please, please, please - rekindle all your connections, family and friends, reactivate all acquaintances to what is happening.

VOTE. VOTE. VOTE. NOVEMBER 6TH. And I do love my Noh-vem-burr 6th.....

Get this jerk out of the WH. Along with his lip-synching, butt-bumping, groin-grinding minions......

And those are just in the general media......

One I'm def agreeing with you on. I'm spreading the word throughout all of my networks and contacts.

I don't get too ruffled by most things but this crap cannot stand.

[MSTR-P]

Originally Posted by Myuzishin

As a retiree covered under Tricare, I'm certainly appreciative of the benefits I am fortunate to be able to take advantage of, and I support continued efforts from ALL sides to care for our Vets and repay them for their selfless service to Our Great Nation.

Equally, I recognize that Our Great Nation's economic woes put our status of Great Nation in jeopardy more and more each day. As the economy worsens, it's impact on EVERY aspect of our lives increases, and the hole gets deeper. The choices we can make today are likely to be far less painful than those that will be forced upon us if we do nothing for another 5 or 10 years.

As an overall benefits package, Tricare continues to be ridiculously INexpensive compared to vitually every other plan in existance. Considering the number of people covered by Tricare and the cost of implementing, managing and maintaining the quality we ALL expect our Vets to receive, it's not difficult to understand that if the fees never increase while the costs related to the program do, it's going to suffer greatly. That will undoubtedly lead to decreased benefits, reduced quality, and myriad other troubles not only for our Vets and their families, but for the program (and our Military) as a whole. There must be balance, and if the fees don't keep up with the costs, the whole thing will fall. Likewise, you get what you pay for.

As for who's to blame for the proposed increases, this isn't Obama's idea. It started with a couple of Senators (among them John McCain) who, under pressure from the Tricare lobby (that's right) introduced the bill. Of course, there's no holding Obama blameless since his economic cluster**** has made the proposed increases necessary. Unfortunately for all involved, if the fees aren't increased, Obama's economic policies have made it impossible to secure the money from any other source.

Legislatively, I'd like to see the bill stand on its own, rather than be attached to some other legislation like the Congress is habitually prone to do. Additionally, the legislation needs to include cost-saving measures (fighting fraud and waste, etc) in order to keep any fee increase to its absolute minimum.

I'm very fortunate in that I could afford a fee increase with virtually no impact on my economic situation, and would be more than willing to do so if it plays a role in keeping the Tricare program as great as it is or better. I do understand, tho, that not everybody is in the same situation, so their reluctance to have the fees increased would be greater than mine. But at some point, we have to recognize that something (or someone) has got to give. If not, something will be taken.

Fellow retiree and I agree that in order for the standards of service to exceed what we have come to expect, we need to pay increases along the way; however, the rates just increased in October 2011. I don't believe the current administration should increase the Tricare fees again just because their leader can't balance a check book.

[DEEKAYPEE8569]

Originally Posted by Odessa78

The Obama administration on Friday threatened to veto a defense appropriations bill in part because it does not include higher health care fees for members of the military.

“The Administration is disappointed that the Congress did not incorporate the requested TRICARE fee initiatives into either the appropriation or authorization legislation,” the White House wrote in an official policy statement expressing opposition to the bill, which the House approved in May.

President Obama’s most recent budget proposal includes billions of dollars in higher fees for members of TRICARE, the military health care system, and is part of the administration’s plan to cut nearly $500 billion from the Pentagon’s budget.

Some fear the administration’s proposal is an effort to increase enrollment in the state-run insurance exchanges mandated under the president’s controversial health care law.

The administration urged the House to “reconsider” to fee increase, arguing they are “essential for DOD to successfully address rising personnel costs.”

The House bill has significant bipartisan support, and easily passed by a margin of 299 to 120.

Obama to Soldiers: Pay Up | Washington Free Beacon

If our war vets are required to pay for their healthcare, it SHOULD be d*mn near nothing; but IMO, ALL war vets should not have to pay a dime.

Yeah, everybody's taxes might go up; but it's a small price, don't you think?

[Dixie]

Originally Posted by MSTR-P

Fellow retiree and I agree that in order for the standards of service to exceed what we have come to expect, we need to pay increases along the way; however, the rates just increased in October 2011. I don't believe the current administration should increase the Tricare fees again just because their leader can't balance a check book.

They did? I'm still paying the same thing for Tricare Prime.

[PsyOps (Premo)]

As usual, the ones that sacrifice the most are expected to sacrifice even more.

You know, there are a lot of folks in the military that voted for Obama and these liberals that have so little regard for our military. I wonder what they'll do this time around. I just can't believe they'd keep voting for the people that aim to destroy all that was promised them.

[itsbob]

Would scrapping the VA health system and moving everyone eligible for VA health Care to Tri-Care save more money than increasing fees?

I believe so..

Of course than they would have to whittle down who is actually eligible for health care.. Not sure I agree that someone that did 2 years in the service, came away unscathed, should be allowed to use the VA when they get the sniffles either...

[MSTR-P]

Originally Posted by Dixie

They did? I'm still paying the same thing for Tricare Prime.

Yes they did. For folks that retired on or after October 1, 2011 pay a higher premium for the same coverage as those who retired prior to that.

[PsyOps (Premo)]

Originally Posted by MSTR-P

Yes they did. For folks that retired on or after October 1, 2011 pay a higher premium for the same coverage as those who retired prior to that.

What did their premium go up to?

[Dixie]

Originally Posted by MSTR-P

Yes they did. For folks that retired on or after October 1, 2011 pay a higher premium for the same coverage as those who retired prior to that.

John McCain's proposal?

[Dixie]

Originally Posted by PsyOps

What did their premium go up to?

From what I read from $460 a year per family to $520.00 per year per family.