MRGRG-MS - TRICARE Receives Rate Cut Reprieve with House Passage of Budget
Agreement
Since 02-01-06
Folks:
I'm forwarding the following e-mail, but I'm not sure what it means. Note the
date in the news release (February 1, 2005). This is 2006. Does this mean that
there will be no Tricare fees/copays increases?
Floyd
-------- Original Message --------
Subject: TRICARE Receives Rate Cut Reprieve with House Passage of Budget
Agreement
Date: Wed, 1 Feb 2006 17:42:15 -0500
From: Stone, John
<John.Stone@mail.house.gov>
To: GA09News
<GA09News@mail.house.gov>
NEWS RELEASE
U.S. Representative Charlie Norwood, Ninth District, Georgia
For Immediate Release: February 1, 2006
TRICARE Patients and Physicians Receive Last-Minute Reprieve with House Passage
of Budget Agreement
(Washington, DC) - TRICARE patients and physicians
received a well-deserved last-minute rate cut reprieve today, with passage in
the U.S. House of the Deficit Reduction Omnibus Reconciliation Act of 2005,
which was approved by a 212-206 margin and now goes to the President to be
signed into law.
Physician Medicare and TRICARE reimbursement rates will not be slashed as
previously planned, thanks to intense pressure from U.S. Representatives Charlie
Norwood, DDS (R-GA) and Ed Whitfield (R-KY).
Norwood and Whitfield succeeded in halting a 4.4% cut in Medicare/TRICARE
physician reimbursement rates with provisions based on their bill, HR 4078,
which instead freezes 2006 rates at 2005 levels, while requiring Medicare to
revise the existing formula for establishing rates by 2007. The current
formula, if left unchecked, will cut physician rates by over half within a
decade.
The American Medical Association predicted cuts that steep would drive most
physicians out of the Medicare system, leaving elderly baby boomers without
coverage. The Military Officers Association of America predicted a similar
calamity within the TRICARE program.
The effect of the rate cut on TRICARE would have been significantly worse than
on Medicare. Since TRICARE rates are based on Medicare, but can be as much as
25% less, the impact of the 2006 cuts alone could have forced half of
participating TRICARE physicians out of the program, leaving America's active
duty, National Guard, Reserve, and retired military members and dependents
without access to care.
Norwood, a former Army dentist (173rd Airborne, 1968-69) says, "Our victory in
overturning what would have been a disastrous rate cut for patients and
physicians alike is highly appropriate way to begin 2006. With our troops
currently giving battle in Iraq and Afghanistan, it is imperative we show them
in more than words that their service is appreciated. These provisions will
ensure that those troops and their families will continue to receive TRICARE
health coverage next year through their current physicians, and that is an
excellent way to prove we mean it when we tell them they have our support."
U.S. Rep. Charlie Norwood
2452 Rayburn Building, Washington, DC 20515
On the Web:
<http://www.house.gov/norwood>
Phone (202) 225-4101; Fax (202)
226-0776
Contact: John Stone;
John.Stone@mail.house.gov <mailto:John.Stone@mail.house.gov>