washingtonscene
work out a new agreement to fund the gov- ernment for the rest of FY 2017. The VA got a better deal, as the CR in-
cluded full VA funding for 2017 and advance funding for 2018. This will allow planned improvements in benefit claims processing and medical research. It also will let the VA cover in vitro fertilization for veterans with injuries causing infertility. “MOAA is grateful this legislation will
provide a $2 billion increase over the current year, with additional funding to address treatment of hepatitis C, long- term care for veterans, caregiver support, and reduction of the claims backlog,” says MOAA President and CEO Lt. Gen. Dana T. Atkins, USAF (Ret).
2017 Reserve D
TRICARE Rates How much will reservists pay for TRICARE in 2017?
oD officials have released next year’s monthly premiums for TRICARE Reserve Select (TRS)
and TRICARE Retired Reserve (TRR). TRS and TRR were established in 2006 and 2009, respectively, after years of advo- cacy by MOAA and The Military Coalition. The cost share for TRS beneficiaries is 28 percent of the total cost to the govern-
ment. Premiums for gray-area reservists using TRR are significantly more expen- sive because they require beneficiaries to pay the full cost of premiums. Prior to 2009, gray-area reservists did not have any military health care coverage options. MOAA’s goal is to have a unified health program for reserve component members, including retired members. MOAA also advocates for legislation that would permit civilian employers to pay TRS premiums for their Guard and Re- serve employees and to provide selected reservists an option to have the govern- ment subsidize continuation of their civilian employer’s health care coverage for their families during call-ups — just as the government already provides up to 24 months of Federal Employees Health Benefits premium coverage for families of activated Guard and Reserve members who are federal employees. The new TRS and TRR rates will be ef- fective Jan. 1, 2017. MO
— Contributors are Col. Steve Strobridge, USAF (Ret), vice president; Col. Dan Merry, USAF (Ret), director; Cmdr. René Campos, USN (Ret); Col. Mike Barron, USA (Ret); Capt. Kathy Beasley, USN (Ret); Brooke Goldberg; Col. Phil Odom, USAF (Ret); Lt. Col. (select) Aniela Szymanski, USMCR; Jamie Naughton; and Trina Fitzgerald, MOAA’s Govern- ment Relations Department, and Gina Harkins, senior staff writer. Visit
www.moaa.org/email to sign up for legislative-news updates.
2016 vs. 2017 TRICARE Reserve Select (TRS) and TRICARE Retired Reserve (TRR) Premiums
Monthly rate 2016 2017 +3.6% -0.2%
$47.90 $47.82 TRS Individual
+3.2%
$210.83 $217.51 TRS Family
$388.79 $402.81 $957.44 $1,013.36 TRR Individual
TRR Family +5.8%
44 MILITARY OFFICER DECEMBER 2016
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