How many Tricare Select eligible people are interested in lobbying Congress to revisit the changes to Tricare Select?

GySgt Private RallyPoint Member — Mon, 09 Nov 2020 19:54:22 -0500

The changes effectively are changing it to an insurance policy. If you don’t live near a military healthcare facility (99% of retirees), you have to pay, otherwise you’re out of luck. Healthcare was a lifetime benefit promised to many of us, especially depending on when you were in.

How many of you are interested in organizing to lobby our elected officials?

Response by SSG Shavonde Chase made Nov 9 at 2020 8:05 PM

SSG Shavonde Chase — Mon, 09 Nov 2020 20:05:55 -0500

I’m interested in learning more about this.

Response by SFC Private RallyPoint Member made Nov 9 at 2020 9:13 PM

SFC Private RallyPoint Member — Mon, 09 Nov 2020 21:13:06 -0500

Lifetime Healthcare is not and never was a guaranteed entitlement.

Here's an excerpt from an article from 2000:

Many military health care beneficiaries, particularly military retirees, their dependents, and those representing their interests, state that they were promised "free health care for life at military facilities" as part of their "contractual agreement" when they entered the armed forces. Efforts to locate authoritative documentation of such promises have not been successful. Congressional report language and recent court decisions have rejected retiree claims seeking 'free care at military facilities' as a right or entitlement. These have stated that the medical benefit structure made up of military health care facilities, Tricare and Medicare currently provide lifetime health care to military members, retirees and their respective dependents. Nevertheless, claims continue to be made, particularly by those seeking additional benefits from the Department of Defense, or attempting to prevent an actual or perceived reduction in benefits

Though Congress has never authorized "free health care for life at military facilities," various congressional reports have commented on the issue, and there have been recent legislative actions on the subject. For example, the Senate, explaining its support of additional benefits for military retirees, included non-binding language in its report on the FY1998 National Defense Authorization Act that reiterated its intention with regard to the promise of lifetime care:

The issue of health care for military retirees over age 65 is of special concern to the committee. The nation has incurred a moral obligation to attempt to provide care to military retirees who believe they were promised lifetime health care in exchange for a lifetime of military service. The nation fulfills its obligation through Medicare.(32)</blockquote>
This language expresses the view that a "promise" to military retirees was made -- and that existing statutes and institutions do fulfill that promise.

Later, with the enactment of the FY1998 National Defense Authorization Act, Congress included the following language:

SEC. 752. SENSE OF CONGRESS REGARDING QUALITY HEALTH CARE FOR RETIREES

(a) Findings.-Congress makes the follow findings:

(1) Many retired military personnel believe that they were promised lifetime heath care in exchange for 20 or more years of service.

There wasn't lifetime Healthcare promised 20 years ago and there hasn't been free Healthcare promised since then.

The issue with retirees and dependents being pushed off post came as part of an effort to maximize Healthcare providers to focus on Service members as opposed to dependents. Dependents and retirees are being pushed onto local providers and specialists are being eliminated in order to hire more general practice professionals. It's more complicated than this, but basically resources are being realigned towards active duty to improve readiness. This is a realignment that was initiated several years ago and is coming into fruition recently. You will be happy to learn that President elect Biden has indicated that he does not want this realignment to take place until a study has been completed showing that the local areas can handle this influx and that the dependents and retirees will not be adversely affected. I don't know how successful that will be because this is ultimately a budgetary and readiness issue that was decided by administrators, not congress or the president. Even if it is a political hot potato it was ultimately a financial decision for the Healthcare administration agency (I forget the name of the agency)

Response by SGT Lenise Hamilton made Nov 9 at 2020 9:38 PM

SGT Lenise Hamilton — Mon, 09 Nov 2020 21:38:05 -0500

Count me in, anything for the cause... There's strength in numbers....

Response by CWO3 Private RallyPoint Member made Nov 9 at 2020 11:32 PM

CWO3 Private RallyPoint Member — Mon, 09 Nov 2020 23:32:08 -0500

we lost on the time hack guns, open season for fee adjustments started today, Happy 245th.

Response by SSG William Zopff III made Nov 25 at 2020 8:25 AM

SSG William Zopff III — Wed, 25 Nov 2020 08:25:27 -0500

I’m interested in more information and maybe interested in supporting efforts to protect our benefits. Selling out our benefits to a non-military benefits provider is not tolerable!