How would you save the military money in medical expenses?

SFC Private RallyPoint Member — Thu, 21 Nov 2013 19:37:18 -0500

1. Combine all military medical assets into the Public Health Service and expand to include manning of all Veteran Administration hospitals. Only Corpsman, Medics, and Physician Assistants would remain branch specific. Medical teams in the PHS would specialize/certify for land, air, and sea operations instead of having separate medical corps for each branch.<div><br></div><div>2. Charge a nominal annual deductible for each dependent to access medical services. Exclude preventative care and immunizations from the deductible. This should help reduce unnecessary access to medical services when an over-the-counter treatment was all that was needed.</div><div><br></div><div>3. Centralize all military medical training, removing redundant training centers.</div><div><br></div><div>4. Lock retiree medical insurance rates to increase with the CPI.</div><div><br></div><div>5. Charge more for insuring retirees' dependents.</div><div><br></div><div>6. A Physician's Assistant should be assigned to every Battalion to allow for an easy open door access to sick call triage. It would also allow for quick identification of personnel that are prone to malingering.</div><div><br></div><div>7. Provide greater access to preventative care for service members such as Chiropractors.</div><div><br></div><div><br></div>

Response by SFC James Baber made Dec 13 at 2013 9:45 AM

SFC James Baber — Fri, 13 Dec 2013 09:45:27 -0500

Number one get rid of all the bogus charges that the medical field has created, if you ever look at a bill from a civilian facility and compare what is actually paid by your insurance to what they are supposed to write off, there is proof right there. If they are able to write off for example $28,000 from a $30,000 bill of charges because the insurance only allowed $200 to be paid, that shows that the costs are over inflated to start with. There was a time when doctors were paid in chickens and produce, and they were happy with and generally cared for their patients even when they couldn't afford to pay for the service. It is a major scam for the expenses, and needs to be revamped to the reality and cut out the fat that causes the over inflated mechanisms that are currently in place .

Response by SFC Private RallyPoint Member made Dec 13 at 2013 11:20 AM

SFC Private RallyPoint Member — Fri, 13 Dec 2013 11:20:27 -0500

SSG Sweeney,

1. Your #1 is going into effect right now: http://www.militarytimes.com/article/20131001/BENEFITS06/310010042/

2. Retirees served honorably for those benefits FOR their families and a sudden increase in out-of-pocket cost could have a grave effect on their fixed incomes. I recently saw a wheelchair-bound Korean War vet and his wife miscalculate their meager grocery cost and they came up short. Instead of letting them decide if they could do without cheese or bananas, I paid the difference. Imagine what they would have to sacrifice to pay unexpected copay increases.

3. I totally agree with you about PAs. They do a GREAT job at weeding out BS.

4. Each missed appointment costs an MTF around $100. I say deduct it from the Servicemember's pay, if they don't have a good excuse for missing it.

Response by SGT Private RallyPoint Member made Dec 13 at 2013 12:35 PM

SGT Private RallyPoint Member — Fri, 13 Dec 2013 12:35:33 -0500

Most poigniantly, changing philosophy on what healthcare is in the military is fundimental before even thinking about making fiscal cutbacks. The main problem with the healthcare that we are used to is that healthcare was always something that was done afterwards and begrudgeingly at that. you would spraine you ankle, spend hours in sick call just for a bottle of motrin and a straw to "suck it up" with and thats if you even went to sick call. because of the stigma many leaders put on getting medical treatment, soldiers would push through the pain and deal with it. What did that cause? well 5 years down the road the military has to pay for ankle replacement because that tendon that could have been fixed with some minimal physical therapy has now ruptured.

There is already many processes in the works that are cutting some reduntcancies. the Base Realignment Commission would be the first to recognize. for some reason we had bases for each branch, and often they are very close to each other. why have seperate medical facilities for each post when you could join these bases together and have a Military Treatment Facility that covers all services.

as for making soldiers pay for missing appointments i kind of agree with there being some kind of reparation. If you miss an appointment in the civilian sector you get charged your deductable anyway. but why do people focus on this issue always confounds me because on average it only counts for about 5% of lost funds. what we need to focus on is the appointments we send out to network. there is an average of 30% of outpatient services that get sent out to network. thats a lot of money, because those 30% of appointments already exist in our facilities then we refer them out and pay the civilian institution. so we just payed double for a service we could have performed.

training, i agree should be centralized and remove redundant training. no sense on doing two kind of different classes that cover the same thing.

a Physicians Assistant being assigned to every battalion makes a lot of sense. however, you might have to consider the kind of work load that PA will be under. A Small battalion may have 350+ soldiers. that is one hell of a patient load, i find it difficult to believe that to PA would be able to give effective care to every one under his purview.

Just a couple of thoughts.

Response by SFC Stephen Hester made Dec 13 at 2013 4:52 PM

SFC Stephen Hester — Fri, 13 Dec 2013 16:52:53 -0500

Here are my big three:

1. Curtail elective procedures. Boob jobs and tummy tucks are nice for some folks but there's no reason why TRICARE should pay for things like this

2. Stop prescribing OTC cold medications to everyone who comes in with a case of the sniffles or aches and pains. The PX carries them and yes, service members and family members would have to pay for them out-of-pocket.

3. Charge a deductible for family member visits to the clinic or the ER.

Response by SFC Rocky Gannon made Dec 13 at 2013 6:29 PM

SFC Rocky Gannon — Fri, 13 Dec 2013 18:29:42 -0500

Well let me get my soap box out: First when I joined like most of you I was promised free medical and dental for life for me and my family, well that was a lie, Now we pay for Tricare and Tricare dental. The combining of all military health care under the PHA I don't like, as then you will be competing with even more people to try and get a appoint, Keep the government out of health care, if you want to control cost it need to be with the drugs and suppliers, that is where the major cost are at. We have let healthcare get so for out of line, by allowing jury's to award these millions in law suites, don't get me wrong if they do something wrong like remove a kidney instead of the gall blatter yea sue the shit out of them, but a few million for something that did not hurt you or cause you lost of limb or body part why? The military care system and Tricare works, now stop raising it because I am retired, and stop pushing us into more poverty then helping.

Response by 1LT Private RallyPoint Member made Dec 14 at 2013 5:23 PM

1LT Private RallyPoint Member — Sat, 14 Dec 2013 17:23:27 -0500

Stop giving dependents a free ride on their sponsor's health insurance. Have a minor co-pay in the single digits for a PCM visit and have a hefty co-pay for emergency room visits that don't qualify as a "life, limb, or eyesight" emergency.
This should free up a whole lot of appointments in your local TMC and end the practice of using the ER as an alternative to waiting to see a doctor for three days or less.

Response by SGT JeneAurey Melendez made Dec 14 at 2013 5:32 PM

SGT JeneAurey Melendez — Sat, 14 Dec 2013 17:32:06 -0500

Charge a small copay less than $20.00, it will reduce some of the " I am just here because I have free health insurance." it may make people think twice before seeking care for the common cold.

Response by SSG Robert Burns made Dec 15 at 2013 11:41 PM

SSG Robert Burns — Sun, 15 Dec 2013 23:41:02 -0500

We have far too many providers in administrative positions and not generating revenue.

Response by SSgt Private RallyPoint Member made Dec 16 at 2013 1:12 AM

SSgt Private RallyPoint Member — Mon, 16 Dec 2013 01:12:41 -0500

I like the idea of the PAs, who seem competent and eager to help veterans and active duty alike.

Response by SFC Private RallyPoint Member made Dec 18 at 2013 3:49 AM

SFC Private RallyPoint Member — Wed, 18 Dec 2013 03:49:26 -0500

We all have a big job to do. Saving money in medical as well as all logistics is each of our responsibility. What are the "Army values for?" Integrity, honor, selfless service.... Kennedy once gave this in his speech to our nation, "My fellow Americans, ask not what your country can do for you, ask what you can do for your country!"

Each of us are responsible for our own economics as well as our own health to include lifestyle, IE: diet and exercise.

My fellow Americans, ask not what your country can do for you, ask what you can do for your country.

John F. Kennedy

Read more at http://www.brainyquote.com/quotes/quotes/j/johnfkenn109213.html#exDAmd9PVK6boFxl.99My fellow Americans, ask not what your country can do for you,

My fellow Americans, ask not what your country can do for you, ask what you can do for your country.

John F. Kennedy

Response by SFC James Baber made Jan 11 at 2014 11:20 PM

SFC James Baber — Sat, 11 Jan 2014 23:20:31 -0500

I think this is a good thread for those we are trying to get to join can see the substance of some things we discuss between us as current and former military, soft spoken as well as informational and mentoring types of postings.

We also have fun at times while remaining professional.

Response by WO1 Private RallyPoint Member made Sep 9 at 2014 12:52 PM

WO1 Private RallyPoint Member — Tue, 09 Sep 2014 12:52:26 -0400

I dont think they have the numbers to assign a PA to every battalion. Good points though.

Response by SSG Private RallyPoint Member made Aug 17 at 2016 1:12 PM

SSG Private RallyPoint Member — Wed, 17 Aug 2016 13:12:40 -0400

This may be counter intuitive, however if they really want to cut expenses, they need to grow military medical capabilities. Build military hospitals back up and stop paying civilian providers to perform functions that military providers could do at half the cost.