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2006-01-05 Home Front: WoT

Joint Chiefs To Back Higher TRICARE Fees

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Posted by Besoeker 2006-01-05 16:12|| || Front Page|| [3 views since 2007-05-07] Top

#1 The chiefs are doing so because they're alarmed that soaring health care costs

Don't suppose "soaring costs" would have anything at all to do with the federal gov'mnt mandate to treat everybody that walks through the door of a hospital, no matter if they have money, insurance, citizenship or not. A mandate that has essentially turned hospital emergency rooms into free clinics?

"Look Ben, recruitment be up - slip this one in NOW!"

Posted by Besoeker 2006-01-05 16:37|| 2006-01-05 16:37|| Front Page Top

#2 While I am NEVER happy about paying more money for anything, I was halfway expecting some sort of hike. I didn't quite expect that big of a hike and it will be a little painful. Luckily I have some other option at work and will explore those.

Posted by Cyber Sarge">Cyber Sarge 2006-01-05 18:59|| 2006-01-05 18:59|| Front Page Top

#3 Part of the problem is the Hollywood bookkeeping the government does. The Pentagon is charged with the cost on their books even though it is retirement. Retiree support is an obligation, one done by contract between two parties which are operating with honorable intentions, which we see now are not. The obligation only disappears when the government declares unilaterally that what it 'promised' is now null and void. I can certainly understand the active duty leadership being concerned as they see that they are being tagged with an obligation which by 2010 means that 70% of all health care costs will be spent upon retirees. That is nothing to sneeze about. However, it is really Congress' obligation for having run the system that way for years [just like Social Security]. The proverbal hens are just coming to roost sooner with TriCare. This will impact the 12 to 15 year service personnel who will be in the commit or get out time frame. They have to think about taking care of their families. Every year they delay getting out means they have to compete that much harder against someone who's work the company for years before them. It will certainly not be an incentive to stay. They need to start securing their families' medical insurance right then cause they see there is no 'promise' that will be upheld by the pols. After 10 years there is no service obligation, so once they're gone, they're not coming back. Hard to make up 12 years of experience. Once the threat slackens its going to be very hard to keep the good ones, but Congress would rather nickel and dime them to death but have lots of pork for the newspaper columns back home. Nothing changes.

Posted by Jeper Thravitle1348 2006-01-05 19:04|| 2006-01-05 19:04|| Front Page Top

#4 time to fire up the lawsuits re: the promise for free medical care for life.

Posted by 2b 2006-01-05 19:09|| 2006-01-05 19:09|| Front Page Top

#5 It may be time for another Veterans' March on Washington, to remind Congress and the bureaucracy that they made promises, and we expect them to keep them. Between having to wait a month for even a routine appointment, and having to pay so much out of pocked for seeing a doctor, prescriptions, and non-standard treatment, it's beginning to cost more and more every year. Perhaps the Congress should end some of THEIR benefits, if they expect us to accept higher costs for what was promised as free. A good oak "reminder" may help jog a few memories, starting with people like Byrd, Schumer, Kerry, Kennedy, Levin, and a bunch of other pork-snarfers.

Posted by Old Patriot">Old Patriot 2006-01-05 21:50|| http://oldpatriot.blogspot.com/]">[http://oldpatriot.blogspot.com/] 2006-01-05 21:50|| Front Page Top

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