Military Veterans' Lawyer Blog
The Congressional Budget Office posted the changes for TRICARE as proposed by Congress in the Health Care plan of 2009-10.
At the same time politicians scream the country needs Health Care, the same politicians are silently taking away health care benefits earned by retired military men and women.
Men and women who accepted the call to defend this country, often at much lower wages than they could earn in the civilian world, because they made choices. These choices involved love for their country and other intangible and tangible issues including being told Health care was a benefit they would earn and have if they served 20 years and retired honorably. These brave men and women earned their Health Care. So why is Congress taking from the veteran?
Congressional staffers for years have looked at the veteran’s TRICARE and other related health care programs as a hemorrhaging budget item. Their solution, have the veteran pay MORE.
The rationale of the Congressional or DoD staffer is simple, they mistakenly claim civilians pay more. I argue the military member has paid much more than the civilian. Some veterans will never recover from their wounds. Other veterans chose to stay in the military under the belief Health Care was a benefit they would be provided while on active duty and after retiring.
Veterans paid by serving their country for 20 or more years. That was the contract between the United States and the military member / veteran. Serve your country honorably, retire, and receive Health Care as a partial compensation for accepting the duty and lower earnings over 20+ years.
While Congress screams to force business to pay for Health Care for their employees. Congress does not feel the same about their employees, military men & women. Veterans need to write their Congressional Representatives.
To read a synopsis of the Health Care which was proposed and how it affects TRICARE users read below.
To read the Congressional Budget Office Health Care report go to the website below, click on PDF, then search for “TFL.” [Tricare for Life].
http://www.cbo.gov/doc.cfm?index=9925
Option 96
Introduce Minimum Out-of-Pocket Requirements Under TRICARE For Life