MOAA Rebuts Proposed Health Fee Increases

Since 01-07-06

From: MRGRG-MS@yahoogroups.com [mailto:MRGRG-MS@yahoogroups.com]On Behalf Of Floyd Sears
Sent: Friday, January 06, 2006 5:35 PM
To: !CAG/MRGRG e-mail network
Cc: Harry Riley
Subject: [MRGRG-MS] [Fwd: MOAA Rebuts Proposed Health Fee Increases]

------- Original Message --------
Subject:     MOAA Rebuts Proposed Health Fee Increases
Date:     Fri, 6 Jan 2006 18:10:49 -0600
From:     Harry Riley <hmriley@cox.net>
To:     President Bush <president@whitehouse.gov>, <comments@whitehouse.gov>, Dick Cheney <Vice.President@whitehouse.gov>
CC:     To long list
 

Military Officers Association of America writes:

MOAA Rebuts Proposed Health Fee Increases

Last month, we told you that the Administration is planning to propose dramatic increases in TRICARE enrollment fees, deductibles and co-pays for retired members under age 65.  In some instances, fees would more than triple by FY2009.  You can review a summary of the proposals, as related to us by multiple sources, from the December 9, 2005 Legislative Update.

While retirees and families under 65 would take the biggest hit (with fees increasing by more than $1000 for retired officers' families), Medicare-eligibles and active duty, Guard and Reserve family members also would be affected by the pharmacy copay increases. 

MOAA strongly opposes this kind of cost-shifting to military beneficiaries, who already have paid premiums far larger than any civilian does - through decades of arduous service and sacrifice. 

Military retirement benefits are virtually the only offset for extreme service conditions that few Americans are willing to endure for two or three decades.  Reducing the military retirement benefit package is hardly a formula for sustaining long-term retention and readiness, especially when today's forces already suffer under tremendous strains.  

Politicians who claim that the richest country in the world can't afford to pay for both military health care and essential weapons programs are just flat wrong. And putting the Joint Chiefs in the position of having to choose between the two is even more wrong. (Comment by Harry Riley, COL, USA, Ret - - - "The Joint Chiefs have another option...they can tell Congress and the Administration to get a new set of four stars to handle the betrayal of active duty and military retirees medical care.....I mean, after all, does "principle" mean anything to military leaders?  They can't make more money.....they aren't making 5 stars these days.......come on Joint Chiefs, tell the President and Congress what they are doing wrong...apparently they are brain-dead...penalizing the troops during war-time is about as low as it gets.")

MOAA and the Military Coalition will be making this a major legislative issue in 2006, and will work hard to educate the public on why this penny-wise and pound-foolish proposal is not only unfair to the troops, but also bad for our long-term national defense posture.

As a start, MOAA President VADM Norb Ryan, Jr. (USN-Ret) has just written a letter on this issue to "Sergeant Shaft," (pdf) military and veteran's columnist for The Washington Times. 

"The bedrock of our very "freedom and liberty" rests on the love of Christ and sacrifice of our warriors and spouses."  "WITHOUT THE MILITARY THERE WOULD BE NO AMERICA"

Take a look at www.presidentbushblog.com

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