MRGRS-MS - Military Retire Medical Care Senate FAX List for Feb 13-14, 2006

Since 02-12-06

From: MRGRG-MS@yahoogroups.com [mailto:MRGRG-MS@yahoogroups.com]
On Behalf Of Floyd Sears
Sent: Saturday, February 11, 2006 7:32 AM
To: !CAG/MRGRG e-mail network Cc: Harry Riley; Jean D. Beard; Jim Whittington; Tim (G.T.) Forehand
Subject: [MRGRG-MS] [Fwd: Military Retire Medical Care Senate FAX List for Feb 13-14]

The schedule part of this e-mail is posted on the Internet at http://mrgrg-ms.org/fax-it.html along with a link to Senator's Web Forms for those folks that do not have a FAX machine.

-------- Original Message --------
Subject: Military Retire Medical Care Senate FAX List for Feb 13-14
Date: Fri, 10 Feb 2006 18:53:41 -0600
From: Tim <tim@alaweb.com>
Please put the following out to your email list ASAP.

Thank you.

The organized Senator FAX effort ends with this list. The next effort will be to contact all House members. Watch for further emails on how that will be done and the order in which members will be contacted.

Tim
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Regardless of age all military retirees are at risk if DoD, Congress and the President increase TRICARE fees for medical care. Civilian non-military retirees should also be concerned as it will affect military recruiting and thus the future defense of the nation.

Each person receiving this is requested to Fax (Preferred), email or call each Senator listed on the date shown. Also contact DoD.

Please use: "Military Retiree Medical Care" in the subject line. Say what you wish regarding the medical care but take action immediately.

To FAX using your computer or printer use the FAX number following each Senators name.

To contact by email go to http://mrgrg-ms.org/fax-it-senate.html  and follow the directions.

To call toll free use 1-866-877-4455 (courtesy of Enlisted Army National Guard Association of the US) or 1-866-272-6622 (courtesy of the Military Officers Association of America)

To contact DoD use the link: http://www.defenselink.mil/faq/comment.html

 When you have completed your correspondence, go to

http://mrgrg-ms.org/educate-the-congress.html  , the "MRGRG Educate the Congress Tracking System" and follow the directions shown.

If you want more information on your Senators or Representatives go to: http://www.visi.com/juan/congress/  or http://www.house.gov/house/MemberWWW.htm

 Your participation is vital to keep Congress, DoD and the President from further destroying earned Military Retiree benefits. Do it for yourself and/or your spouse since she will likely outlive you on a lower income. Senators FAX List for February 13-14

(Do not use hyphens when entering FAX number)

February 13

Senator John W. Warner 202-224-6295

Senator George Allen 202-224-5432

Senator Patty Murray 202-224-0238

Senator Maria Cantwell 202-228-0514

Senator Robert C Byrd 202-228-0002

Senator John D. Rockefeller IV 202-224-7665

February 14

Senator Herb Kohl 202-224-9787

Senator Russell D. Feingold 202-224-2725

Senator Crag Thomas 202-224-1724

Senator Michael Enzi 202-228-0359

My FAX will read:

The Joint Chiefs are joining the Defense Department in seeking to more than triple annual enrollment fees for officers in Tricare Prime and double the fees for enlisted retirees by 2008. DoD wants Congress to jack up fees for those under-65 officer retirees from $240 a year for individual coverage to $750, and from $450 annually for family coverage to $1,500. The department wants to raise fees for enlisted retirees under age 65 to $450 for individuals and $900 for families. The deductible for Tricare Standard also would be raised and an annual enrollment fee would be imposed. Medicare-eligible retirees also would take a hit, with co payments for retail generic drugs jumping from $3 to $5 and for brand name drugs from $9 to $15 retail and $10 by mail order. DoD claims it needs the money from the retirees to balance the defense budget. How much more are military retirees (MR) to sacrifice?

MR gave 20 or more years of their lives, barely surviving at times, undergoing all kinds of hardships, low pay and long hours. Then, from 1976 - 1993 Congress screwed with MR COLA's eight times- three years of which there was no COLA at all. During that same timeframe dental, eye and hearing medical care was lost. In 1995, Congress took the no-out-of-pocket-cost medical care that military retirees and family members were promised and earned. When MR go on Social Security they draw less than their peers for having served with low military pay. Now, TRICARE FOR LIFE is costing over 65 military husband and wife $2,100.00 per year from meager retirement incomes. That is one hell of a reduction in retirement income! That is one hell of a reduction in standard of living. and MEDICARE Part B is going up each year. In response to a lawsuit filed by Military Retirees the U.S. Appellate Court said: "IV. Conclusion- We cannot readily imagine more sympathetic plaintiffs than the retired officers of the World War II and Korean War era involved in this case. They served their country for at least 20 years with the understanding that when they retired they and their dependents would receive full free health care for life. The promise of such health care was made in good faith and relied upon."

"Congress has the power and authority under the Constitution to establish a system for the payment of retired pay [for military service members] and to change the system from time to time. . . . We understand and appreciate the dissatisfaction of the plaintiffs with the change in the retirement pay system, as they have rendered long and faithful service to our country in time of peace and war. However, if they are to get any relief, it must come from Congress, as this is not within [a court's] jurisdiction." Action that has been taken against military retirees is not beneficial for military recruiting, nor does it bode well for supporting government when its most deserving citizens see that they cannot trust those elected to keep legitimate promises made by its agents. You are therefore requested to heed the Appellate court's words and take immediate action to get legislation through Congress that will return no-out-of-pocket-cost medical care (to include dental, eye and hearing care) to deserving military retirees and their immediate family members.

Thank you for your assistance in this matter.


Respectfully,

(signature) Address
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Thank you for your assistance in getting Congress to understand how irate the citizens are over the proposed increases in TRICARE fees and the PART B fees for MR.