OT: Tricare cost to skyrocket out of reach???

Apparently for USA service members and retires, Tricare rates will skyrocket if current plans are approved in the Congress. Up to 300% every five years until they find it too expensive to keep. Talk about keeping the faith, eh? No one else's plans are touched, Why? Why does only the military and military retirees get this special treatment? Why does the military, who have suffered life altering injuries and some who can no longer work to support them selves have to be treated this way by their country? Many whom, due to their disabilities have to provide for their families and make ends meet on the chump change they receive as compensation for their service connected injuries. Remember, many can't work for a living due to their disability. Now, they are going to be forced to pay at least double their premium starting next year, and doubled or tripled again every five years after that until they can't afford it anymore and forced to opt out!!!!! What kind of thanks is that America? Stand up for your protectors, your dedicated sailors, soldiers, marines, airmen and give your congressional representative a piece of your mind!!! Tell them this is no way to treat our heros!! Google your zip code and find out who your rep is if you don't already know, and call their number or fax their office. It's a five minute effort. And worth it. This can't stand. Our patriots deserve much much better.

Sleep2Die4 wrote:That sounds bad. Is this part of the Obamacare fallout?

Many think the idea behind it is to force them over to it.

Of course it is. They need a reasonably healthy constituency to pay the bill.

so far, this is election year politics. it's in a proposed budget that still has to get ripped up by congress.

Guest wrote:so far, this is election year politics. it's in a proposed budget that still has to get ripped up by congress.

this was my post. i wasn't aware i got logged out.

greatunclebill wrote:

Guest wrote:so far, this is election year politics. it's in a proposed budget that still has to get ripped up by congress.

this was my post. i wasn't aware i got logged out.

Uncle Bill, I sure hope that's all it will end up being. I can't imagine anyone with any concience or intelligence voting to re elect this fraudulent imposter, this poser, this communist illegal alien subverter, to another term of destruction in the white house. I don't care that he's black, purple, green, brown, or white, or yellow. He's perpatrating a great fraud upon the citizens of the United States and this action to strip honorable military veteran heros (and their families too) of their healthcare is an absolutely abhorrent, vile and disgusting chickenshit act to appease his mentally ill political base.

islandboy5150 wrote:

greatunclebill wrote:

Guest wrote:so far, this is election year politics. it's in a proposed budget that still has to get ripped up by congress.

this was my post. i wasn't aware i got logged out.

Uncle Bill, I sure hope that's all it will end up being. I can't imagine anyone with any concience or intelligence voting to re elect this fraudulent imposter, this poser, this communist illegal alien subverter, to another term of destruction in the white house. I don't care that he's black, purple, green, brown, or white, or yellow. He's perpatrating a great fraud upon the citizens of the United States and this action to strip honorable military veteran heros (and their families too) of their healthcare is an absolutely abhorrent, vile and disgusting chickenshit act to appease his mentally ill political base.

If I could run for President of the Great United States, I would be more than happy to tell it right to his face during a debate in front of millions of Americans.

islandboy5150 wrote:Uncle Bill, I sure hope that's all it will end up being. I can't imagine anyone with any concience or intelligence voting to re elect this fraudulent imposter, this poser, this communist illegal alien subverter, to another term of destruction in the white house. I don't care that he's black, purple, green, brown, or white, or yellow. He's perpatrating a great fraud upon the citizens of the United States and this action to strip honorable military veteran heros (and their families too) of their healthcare is an absolutely abhorrent, vile and disgusting chickenshit act to appease his mentally ill political base.

That is quite the load of abuse from someone who, once again, has no idea what he's talking about.

During the first couple of seasons of Saturday Night Live, Gilda Radner used to play a character named Emily Litella who gave earnest, wacky commentary about some factoid she got wrong ("What's all this fuss I keep hearing about violins on television?"). At least she had the good grace to smile and say "never mind" when someone pointed out that she had completely misunderstood.

It isn't premiums that have gone up 300 percent, it is the cost to the taxpayer. I presume that the ultimate source for islandboy's figure (since he doesn't give one) is a report from the Center for American Progress in 2011 that "The Defense Department’s fiscal year 2012 budget request includes $52.5 billion for the Tricare military medical insurance program, a 300 percent increase over its fiscal year 2001 budget." In other words, we are meeting our obligation to service members and veterans, and paying an ever increasing amount to do so. Tricare now represents almost 10 percent of the base defense budget (again according to CAP). According to the Tricare web site (http://www.tricare.mil), active duty members and their family pay no premium (or "enrollment fee" as it is called). Retirees don't pay an enrollment fee for Tricare Standard, but for Tricare Prime, which has no annual deductible and very low co-pays ($11 per day for hospitalization), they paid $230 per year for individuals and $460 per year for families from 1995 until this year, with no increases in all that time. Enrollment fees are going up this year to $260 per year for individuals and $520 per year for families.

There is a proposal from the administration for further increases to be phased in from 2013 to 2016, to be based on a sliding scale by pension size. For Tricare Prime (the one with no annual deductible and minimal co-pays), that will mean by 2016 $425 per year for individuals and $850 per year for families in the lowest bracket, $925 per year for individuals and $1950 per year for families in the highest bracket. There are arguments pro and con, but none of this seems crazy considering how much medical costs have risen, how long enrollment fees remained unchanged, and how much most people now pay for health insurance. This most certainly isn't going to tempt anyone who qualifies to leave Tricare. And it is important to remember that none of this has anything to do with the Veterans Administration, which provides free health care services for disabled veterans. Moreover, the proposed Tricare fee increases would not apply to survivors of those who died on active duty or service members who were medically retired.

There is a current thread on banning OT posts. I voted no, mostly because I think people in this forum have an interest in health care policy because of their sleep apnea and should feel free to discuss it. There is a big difference, however, between policy discussion and mere name calling. I plan to vote for President Obama, so I guess I fall into islandboy's "mentally ill political base" category. I don't understand why anyone would think that those of us who favor the adoption of federal programs that ensure that everyone has a reasonable way to procure health insurance would mean everyone but the military. We mean everyone.

I get part of this thread - movement of warm moist air is indeed important for all political stripes. But what exactly has this to do with sleep apnea?

May all your warm moist air quietly blow out the window in the dead of night when all are fast asleep!

Thanks, PST for setting the record straight with facts. My mother aged 94 is on Tricare which is a very inexpensive compared to remaining on her Wisconsin teacher's health insurance plan. As Tricare costs have tripled; a gradual premium increase is expected and defensible.

IN MY OPINION, this marxist-leaning administration detests the military, hates free enterprise, abhors the Christian religion and is trying to do away with individualism. Watch what they do, not what they say. Without our military, we would most likely be a multi-lingual country, and I'm not talking about Spanish. We should cut out some of the waste and nanny programs and fully fund ALL present and future medical needs of all military active duty, wounded, retired and all their dependents. The fact that we have free elections and can vote for the candidate of our choice, either left or right, is a direct result of the military and other patriot's actions over the decades.

This is crap. I can get Rush on my radio. I don't need this garbage here.
Thanks PST for providing the details, I wouldn't bother. The OP consistantly posts hype.
This is election hype. It's been ongoing for 5-6+ years. Google what John McCain has to say about it.
I first heard of it when one of my Indiana Republican legislators was spearheading it. Now they want to blame it on this administration.
The DOD and VA are overwhelmed with GW's oil war wounded. Warriors survive now and need care. They have lost arms, legs, eyes and brain function. Their families have had to quit their jobs to be caretakers.

The biggest problem for veteren's on tricare is the low contract payments that tricare negotiates means health professionals don't want to treat you unless they work for an organization that can do add on billing. Finding a PCP that isn't associated with a hospital that can also bill for additional procedures, that you never learn anything from. $$$.
This isn't anything new or associated with this administration. Remember when Rumsfeld said, "Well, they volunteered".

U.S. Army Retired.

SMenasco wrote:IN MY OPINION, this marxist-leaning administration detests the military, hates free enterprise, abhors the Christian religion and is trying to do away with individualism. Watch what they do, not what they say. Without our military, we would most likely be a multi-lingual country, and I'm not talking about Spanish.

We have always been a multi-lingual country! My Great-grandmother spoke German and she was born here in 1887! It wasn't until WWI & II that these AMERICAN citizens were afraid to express their culture. The churches were the last to give it up. I have pictures of my great uncles dressed up in sailor suits during WWI. Japanese AMERICANS were thrown in concentration camps. NATIVE AMERICANS were put in camps to force them to assimilate.
Read some real American History.

Spoken like a true patriot. Oh boy, here we go again, another GW oil conspiracy theorist. Regardless who is to blame, this marxist administration will certainly not come down on the side of the military to the extent they should. So your opinions are correct and mine are crap. I remind you of Rush Limbaugh? Thank you. You remind me of Chris Matthews or Keith Olberman. And your comments aren't hype? This is at least the second time you have atacked me for something I have posted. I have just as much right to my opinion on this forum as you do. And I do appreciate your service, although I am really surprised you have such a hateful opinion of the military's accomplishments.

Spoken like a true patriot. Oh boy, here we go again, another GW oil conspiracy theorist. Regardless who is to blame, this marxist administration will certainly not come down on the side of the military to the extent they should. So your opinions are correct and mine are crap. I remind you of Rush Limbaugh? Thank you. You remind me of Chris Matthews or Keith Olberman. And your comments aren't hype? This is at least the second time you have atacked me for something I have posted. I have just as much right to my opinion on this forum as you do. And I do appreciate your service, although I am really surprised you have such a hateful opinion of the military's accomplishments.