washington scene
Health Care Issues
Bar disproportional TRICARE fee hikes
MOAA insists 1) a unique military health care plan is an essential offset to the unique conditions entailed in a military career; 2) any fee-adjustment formula must recognize military beneficiaries prepay very large premiums for their lifetime coverage through decades of service and sacrifice; and 3) the country must have a higher obligation to them than corporate employers demonstrate for their active and retired employees. To that end, any percentage increase in military beneficiaries’ health care fees in any year should not exceed the percentage increase in their military compensation.
MOAA adamantly will resist proposals to make military health care programs more like those offered by civilian employers, such as proposals to dramatically increase pharmacy copayments, bar retirees from participation in TRICARE Prime, and/or add thousands of dollars a year to military beneficiaries’ costs.
Reverse Medicare/TRICARE payment cuts
Medicare and TRICARE (whose payment levels are tied to Medicare’s by law) already pay less than most commercial insurance, and further payment cuts will only deter more providers from accepting military beneficiaries. Under current law, Medicare and TRICARE payments will be reduced nearly 25 percent as of January 2014. That will undermine military health care access, and it can’t happen.
Safeguard wounded warriors and their families/caregivers
MOAA will continue to press for a system that ensures seamless care and services for wounded warriors and their families and caregivers. More must be done to ensure medical and benefit systems are providing continuity of care and coverage for wounded warriors of all services and components, including reasonable assistance, training, mental health and family-marital counseling, and compensation for their dependent and non-dependent caregivers (spouses, children, parents, siblings, etcetera).
Access to appropriate mental health intervention and treatment remains difficult in both the DoD and the VA health systems, despite strong and ongoing recruiting efforts. The shortage of available mental health care providers results in increased referrals to civilian behavioral health care providers.
JANUARY 2014 MILITARY OFFICER 43
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