washington scene
Administration-Proposed TRICARE Fee Increases for FY 2013-17
The tables below show how the FY 2013 defense budget proposals would impose significantly higher health care fees on retired (and many currently serving) service members and their families.
MOAA objects strongly to subverting the normal congressional vetting process to bulldoze changes to a program so essential to long-term retention and readiness.
Finally, the administration proposes changing the military pay-raise system, starting in FY 2015. Rather than basing raises on private-sector pay growth as required by current law, it would limit military raises to 0.5 percent for FY 2015, 1 percent for FY 2016, and 1.5 percent for FY 2017.
MOAA strongly believes maintaining the tie to private-sector pay growth is essential. When the government previously abandoned that link for budgetary purposes, retention and readiness eventually suffered.
DoD officials say the proposals reflect requirements under the 2011 Budget Control Act to cut the defense budget by $487 billion over 10 years.
MOAA understands the DoD budget won’t be exempt in addressing the nation’s debt crisis. But we reject the Pentagon’s knee-jerk reaction to pass the medical cost buck to beneficiaries rather than fulfill its own responsibilities for efficient management of military health care.
We have a tough fight ahead of us, but our battle now is for the hearts and minds of Congress.
Stolen Valor Act Challenged
Supreme Court considers case.
On Feb. 22, the Supreme Court held oral arguments on the appeal of Xavier Alvarez, who was convicted of lying about being awarded the Medal of Honor at a public board meeting of a water district in Southern California in 2007 (United States v. Alvarez, No. 11-210).
34 MILITARY OFFICER APRIL 2012
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