washington scene
Several congressional committees worked this past summer to develop legislation that will reform the formula and provide stable access to care for seniors and TRICARE beneficiaries. However, it might be a hard pill to swallow for some legislators when the fix could cost anywhere from a reported $138 billion to more than $200 billion over 10 years.
VA Extends Benefits
Same-sex couples will be eligible.
On Sept. 4, the administration announced the government would open veterans’ benefits to same-sex couples in accordance with the Supreme Court’s decision to strike down the 1996 Defense of Marriage Act. Until now, language in the U.S. Code governing veterans’ benefits (Title 38) precluded spousal benefits to same-sex couples recognized as legally married in certain states.
The announcement means enforcement of the provision in Title 38 defining marriage as between a man and a woman has ceased. In some instances, the change applies to active duty and National Guard or Reserve members and their families.
Bills pending in the House and Senate propose recognizing all veterans legally married under state law are entitled to veterans’ benefits.
The VA has not yet announced the specific benefits that will be authorized for same-sex couples.
That said, it’s likely survivor benefits such as Dependency and Indemnity Compensation, health care, caregiver benefits, VA home loans, and transfers of Post-9/11 GI Bill benefits soon will be available.
Additional information will be provided as it is released by the VA.
Health Care Reform Arrives
How will you be affected?
On Oct. 1, major provisions from the 2010 Affordable Care Act went into effect. Many MOAA members using TRICARE, TRICARE For Life (TFL) and Medicare, or VA health care are concerned by the launch of the new health insurance initiatives and want to know how they are affected.
The following are answers to some frequently asked questions:
I use TRICARE (Standard, Prime, Extra, etcetera), TFL and Medicare, or VA health care. Will I need to use the health care exchanges? No. The new health exchanges are intended to help people who do not have insurance. You already have qualified health insurance with TRICARE, TFL and Medicare, or VA health care. You should make the same decisions about your health care coverage that you make every year.
If I have TRICARE, TFL and Medicare, or VA health care, do I need to worry about the new requirement to obtain health insurance and associated penalties? No. Congress recognized military and VA health care programs fulfill a special need, and it would be inappropriate to wrap all health programs together so military and VA beneficiaries have the same coverage as all other Americans. At the urging of MOAA and other organizations, Congress passed the TRICAREAffirmation Act in 2010 that specifically exempted TRICARE and VA beneficiaries from the individual mandate provisions of the Affordable Care Act.
40 MILITARY OFFICER NOVEMBER 2013
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