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L E G I S L AT I V E N E W S
T H AT A F F E C T S Y O U
Budget Fudging
House and Senate budget resolutions oppose TRICARE fee
hikes and Medicare payment cuts and support fi xes for widows
and disabled retirees — but leave funding sources unclear.
O
n March 13, the House a73 language rejecting administration-pro-
SBP Age 62 Offset
of Representatives nar- posed increases in health care fees for
Is History
rowly approved its version TRICARE benefi ciaries and certain non-
of the FY 2009 Budget disabled veterans seeking VA care;
a73 As of April 1, military
Survivor Benefit Plan
Resolution by a 212-207 a73 language rejecting major cuts in
(SBP) annuitants no
vote. The Senate approved its version of Medicare and TRICARE payments to longer face any reduc-
the budget the same day by a 51-44 vote. doctors; and
tion in their SBP benefit
The budget resolution is a key a73 language supporting improvements
solely because they attain
document that affects every in Montgomery GI Bill
age 62. For most survi-
vors older than 62, that
American, because it lays benefi ts.
down spending limits Con- “Are we
means their SBP benefit
These are all positive de-
has increased a cumula-
gress agrees to abide by for
going to
velopments, but it doesn’t tive 57 percent in a se-
the year.
keep our
mean we’re out of the woods
ries of four stages since
If the president, a con- on all of these issues.
September 2004. MOAA
gressional leader, or an
promises,
Several of them, including
takes great pride in hav-
association like MOAA is
or is it just
ing initiated this change.
TRICARE fee, concurrent
looking for any big legisla-
going to
receipt, and SBP fi xes, are
tive initiative, the required
be bumper
addressed in “defi cit-neutral
budget amount needs to be
accounted for within the
stickers?”
trust fund” provisions. That’s
Congress-speak for, “We’re
budget resolution ceiling.
— Vice Adm. Norb
laying down a marker that we
Exceptions can be autho-
Ryan Jr., USN-Ret.
want to make these fi xes, but
rized, but that requires a 60- we haven’t identifi ed ways to
percent vote, which can be pay for them yet.”
very hard to come by in a sharply divided The good news is similar provisions
Congress, especially in an election year. were put in last year’s budget resolution,
The separate House and Senate versions and Congress did, in fact, end up fi nding
of the new budget resolution included ways to pay for a wide range of improve-
many things of critical interest to the mili- ments. We’re counting on leadership sup-
tary and veterans’ community, including: port to ensure the same thing happens this
a73 language expressing support for fur- year, but it’s no sure thing.
ther progress in easing fi nancial inequi- MOAA members and others will need
ties imposed on disabled retirees and to keep the pressure on as the year pro-
military widows; gresses to ensure the intentions expressed
a73 signifi cant budget increases for VA in the budget resolution are backed up
health care; with funding and action.
M AY 2 0 0 8 M I L I T A R Y O F F I C E R 2 9
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29ay_scene.indd 29 44/7/08 5:52:48 PM/7/08 5:52:48 PM
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