Since 02-12-06
National Military Family Association Government & You E-news 7 Feb 2006
Since 02-12-06
From:
Waspscpo@aol.com [mailto:Waspscpo@aol.com]
Sent: Sunday, February 12, 2006 7:21 AM
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Subject: National Military Family Association Government & You E-news
http://www.nmfa.org/site/PageServer
February 7, 2006
Thank you for your interest in military families.
Topics in this Week’s News Include:
1. DoD Budget
Request Calls for Targeted Pay Raises for Some, Increased Health Care Costs for
Others: The administration released its FY 2007 budget proposal February 6
with a variety of briefings on proposed funding changes. At the Pentagon,
officials discussed pay and quality of life proposals, in addition to funding
for weapons systems, operations and maintenance, and research. The DoD budget
request totals $493 billion. For more information click
here.
2. Officials
Share Details of Health Care Cost Increase Proposals: As some DoD officials
were conducting the press briefing Monday afternoon at the Pentagon on the FY
2007 budget proposal, other officials were briefing military association
representatives on the exact details of the proposals affecting out-of-pocket
costs paid by military beneficiaries. NMFA’s Chairman of the Board and Chief
Executive Officer Tanna Schmidli and Joyce Raezer, Director, Government
Relations, attended the briefing hosted by Dr. Stephen Jones, Principal Deputy
Assistant Secretary of Defense for Health Affairs, and BG Elder Granger, Deputy
Director of the TRICARE Management Activity. For more information click
here.
3. DoD Releases
QDR: The Defense Department has unveiled the Quadrennial Defense Review (QDR),
charting the way ahead for the next 20 years. The 92-page report, sent to
Congress on February 3, was driven, managed, and authored by senior leaders
throughout the department. Its release corresponds with that of the fiscal 2007
DoD budget request, sent to Congress on February 6. For more information click
here.
4. More Changes
Coming to Pharmacy Formulary: DoD recently released the minutes of the
December 16, 2005 Uniform Formulary Beneficiary Advisor Panel (BAP) meeting,
which highlight the next round of changes to the list of drugs available at
certain co-pays for military patients. The members of the BAP continued to
express their concern to DoD officials that beneficiaries are not receiving
timely information on which medications are to move to the third co-pay tier (or
non-formulary status). For more information click
here.
5. Heads Up!
Drugs Moving to Third Tier on February 15: On February 15, 2006, several
drugs will move to the third co-payment tier of $22 for a 30 day supply at
network retail pharmacies and $22 for a 90 day supply through the mail order
pharmacy. Third tier drugs are not available at military treatment facility (MTF)
pharmacies unless the prescription has been written by an MTF provider and
medical necessity is established. For more information click
here.
6. What’s in
Store for the VA in FY 2007? Secretary of Veterans Affairs James Nicholson
announced February 6 that President Bush will seek a record $80.6 billion in the
fiscal year 2007 budget for the Department of Veterans Affairs (VA). The
overwhelming majority of the resources are targeted for health care and
disability compensation. The FY 2007 proposal represents an increase of $8.8
billion, or 12.2 percent, above the budget for 2006. For more information click
here.
7. Is a Virtual
Career the Right Job for You? Military spouses know that career portability
and progression are always a challenge in a military lifestyle. With many
spouses moving every two to three years, being “the new person in the office” is
not an unfamiliar feeling. Aware of these sacrifices and difficulties military
Family Support Centers have teamed up with Staffcentrix, a company that provides
training to military spouses in the form of a 14-hour seminar on how to use
their computer and business support skills to find home-based jobs. For more
information click
here.
8. Congress
Passes Student Loan Relief for Deployed Troops: A bill to provide student
loan relief for servicemembers whose college educations were disrupted by
deployments to Iraq or Afghanistan has cleared both Houses of Congress and will
be sent to the President for signature. A provision of S. 1932, the Deficit
Reduction Omnibus Budget Reconciliation Act, passed on February 1 by the House
of Representatives, would defer student-loan payments and the accrual of any
interest on student loans for troops deployed to Iraq or Afghanistan. For more
information click
here.
9.
Military-Related Bills Clear Kentucky Senate: The Kentucky Senate recently
passed three bills of interest to local military families. Senate Bill (SB) 2,
SB47, and SB 30 provide for a Military Family Assistance Trust Fund, Veteran’s
Day observances and the option to remain in TRICARE for those state employees
who are TRICARE eligible. For more information click
here.
10. Navy MWR
Provides Advise to Military Families Going to Asia: Through a new series of
interactive CD-ROMs, Navy Morale, Welfare and Recreation (MWR) can now provide
Sailors and their families with a sneak peek of what foreign lands, such as
Japan and other parts of Asia, have to offer. The interactive function allows
Sailors and their family members to link directly to websites containing
valuable information on travel, culture and other practical topics. For more
information click
here.
11. Military
Spouses: NMFA Scholarships are for You! The National Military Family
Association is now accepting applications for the NMFA Joanne Holbrook Patton
Military Spouse Scholarship Program. Any uniformed service spouse—active,
retired, National Guard, Reserve or survivor—studying toward professional
certification or attending post-secondary or graduate school is encouraged to
apply. For more information click
here.
12. Sound Off
About Military Pay! In recent years, Congress—thanks in part to the work of
NMFA and other military associations—has increased servicemembers’ pay and
compensation benefits, including deployment pays and housing allowances.
Proposals are continually being floated by policymakers that could change how
servicemembers are compensated. What does your family think of current pay and
benefits for uniformed services members? Log on to
www.nmfa.org/surveys today and tell us what you think!
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Contributed,
YNCS Don Harribine, USN(ret)