by Fred M. Apgar
Military Retirees will face major changes in their health care (TRICARE) benefits if Congress approves President Obama’s 2017 fiscal budget. Retired military personnel will be required to pay substantially higher participation fees If the budget proposal is enacted into law, the promise of low-cost lifetime health coverage to retired military personnel will have been broken. The proposed changes would not affect active duty personnel.
The proposal would consist of two options to retired veterans; a health maintenance organization, presumably centered around VA providers and facilities, A more expensive option would operate like a preferred provider organization, offering greater flexibility in providers. In addition to higher participation fees and co-pays, a system of means-testing would also be incorporated.
Post members who feel an obligation to support their retired military comrades should contact their elected representatives and urge them to preserve the present TRICARE program of health coverage as it currently functions.