TRICARE premium increases

[Tadpole]

Talking about moral hazard. The time to change a bargain is before the bargain is made. I can see it now. Son, you need to know that we the people have promised you many things to get you to volunteer to die for us but, if you don't die, don't expect to get what we promised. We promise things as just an incentive to get you signed up not as a serious agreement. You do what you agreed to do but don't expect we the people to do what we agreed to do. It doesn't work that way.

[nun]

Quote:

Originally Posted by Rustic23 You take a pay cut or have your benefits cut, therefore, it is alright for you to do it to the other guy. That's your argument? Because you are the government, you elected the officials that made those promises and because your employer will screw you, you want to see someone else screwed.

I don't want to see anyone screwed. But if we are going to get screwed we should all be screwed the same. I'll fight for your benefits because you deserve them, but I don't want anyone to loose benefits so you can keep yours.

[oldtrig]

Thats a tough one. I will say thanks for your service though.
Here is some good info on tricare. I think our government should take care of all veterans first, the rest 2nd. I only served four years long time ago and do not qualify. I do sign up for Medicare soon. I hope it pays some of the cost. I may have to work until I die just to make sure my wife and I are covered. Good luck. Oldtrig

[nun]

Quote:

Originally Posted by oldtrig Thats a tough one. I will say thanks for your service though. Here is some good info on tricare. I think our government should take care of all veterans first, the rest 2nd.

Ahead of children, the disabled, the old and infirm? I'm coming from the stand point that decent health care is a right, not a privilege. The military should get their health care, but I would not put them in front of anyone else, that would mean you'd be rationing health care to the rest of Govt workers and those on Medicare and Medicaid.

[dtbach]

Quote:

Originally Posted by Nords When spouse was in the Navy Reserve she encountered dozens of officers who, for one reason or another, weren't promoted to O-4 and were ordered to resign from active duty. For some reason they were allowed to join the Reserves, where a year or two later they had miraculously "rehabilitated" their performance (usually a different set of personalities) and promoted to O-4.

That is exactly what happened to me. Got cut (end of Cold War RIF) but then my phone was ringing from the Reserves who badly wanted me to fly. Got my $30K payoff for leaving Active duty and promptly joined the Reserves, made 0-4 5 months later and eventually "retired" at 22 years as an 0-5. Even was selected for command!

In 18 months (at 60) I'll finally get my pension (although they are taking the $30K back over the first 3 years!!)

[Nords]

Quote:

Originally Posted by dtbach In 18 months (at 60) I'll finally get my pension (although they are taking the $30K back over the first 3 years!!)

In interest-free loan for two decades?

I can live with that...

[Rustic23]

Nun, yes ahead of children, the disabled, the old and infirm. What part of contract law do you not understand? I also believe the U.S. should pay it's bond debt before children, the disabled, the old and infirm. It should pay SS and Medicare of those that have paid for it before children, the disabled, the old and infirm. Our politicians have tough choices to make. Obviously you and I have a different view point on what these should be.

[nun]

Quote:

Originally Posted by Rustic23 Nun, yes ahead of children, the disabled, the old and infirm. What part of contract law do you not understand? I also believe the U.S. should pay it's bond debt before children, the disabled, the old and infirm. It should pay SS and Medicare of those that have paid for it before children, the disabled, the old and infirm. Our politicians have tough choices to make. Obviously you and I have a different view point on what these should be.

I agree, we have very different priorities

[2soon2tell]

Nords, dt, Rustic

Thank you for your long service to our country. IMHO you should be first in line for health care benefits.

2soon2tell
Disabled Vet

[nun]

Quote:

Originally Posted by 2soon2tell Thank you for your long service to our country. IMHO you should be first in line for health care benefits.

There should be no line for health care benefits. But if one forms I'm letting children, the poor and those least able to pay in front of me

[dtbach]

Quote:

Originally Posted by 2soon2tell Nords, dt, Rustic Thank you for your long service to our country. IMHO you should be first in line for health care benefits. 2soon2tell Disabled Vet

2soon,

Thank you for your kind words. You know more than us what true sacrifce is. THANK YOU for YOUR service!!

[Rustic23]

2soon,
Thanks, it means a lot.

[nun]

There was a 5 min segment on NPR this morning about the ballooning cost of Tricare and military pensions. It was pointed out that the military is one of the few organizations still providing highly subsidized retiree health care and a defined benefit pension and a guy from the Pentagon said that the cost of these benefits was unsustainable........it'll be interesting to see how Congress reacts to such statements; increase the budget, cut benefits or just ignore the situation. I'd lean towards getting rid of a couple of carrier groups etc, funding current benefits fully and reducing them for the people currently in service as there isn't the political will to raise taxes to pay for them

[Nords]

Quote:

Originally Posted by nun There was a 5 min segment on NPR this morning ...

Between the Thailand thread and this one, I think I've seen enough.

You have a nice life now.

[Nords]

Both Armed Services Committees have approved 13% hikes to Tricare Prime premiums (from $460/year to $520), and have also voted to index future hikes to the rate of the military retiree pension COLA.

More details and links here:
Update on TRICARE and Congress | Military Retirement & Financial Independence

[RetiredGypsy]

It only applies to the family rate?

[Nords]

Quote:

Originally Posted by RetiredGypsy It only applies to the family rate?

No, it also raises the $230 singles rate by $30.

I try to keep my blog posts between 1000-2000 words, and even that's considered kinda long for most attention spans. If I tried to summarize every single Tricare change proposal then the post would read like Volume I of a submarine reactor plant manual.

If you're using one of the variants of Tricare other than Prime then it's worth plowing through all the links to see what specific changes are proposed.

There's also language in the bill about raising prescription copays from $3 to $12 at the pharmacy in order to encourage people to use the mail service.

[deserat]

Nords,

Thanks for keeping this info updated on the board - I don't keep as much track of it as I should (but probably will pay more attention in 5 months or so ;-))

[RetiredGypsy]

Quote:

Originally Posted by Nords No, it also raises the $230 singles rate by $30.

Maybe next time they'll actually start asking doctors why they generally don't want to accept TRICARE, and raise it to a more competitive rate. Instead it seems like they're trying to tick everyone off while accomplishing nothing.

I'd be much happier if it was actual insurance rather than an all-encompassing plan (or at least have the option of one of the other), since it'd actually be cheaper for a lot of people, but the odds of that happening are just about slim to none.