 |
 |
 |
 |
|
 |
 |
 |
 |
 |
 |
|||||||||
 |
|||||||||
 |
|||||||||
 |
|||||||||
 |
|||||||||
|
|||||||||
DoD Official Says Retirees Must Pay More for Healthcare and Government Study Says Too Much Money Being Spent on Retirement and Health Care Benefits Dr. William Winkenwerder, Jr., DoD’s assistant secretary of defense for health affairs, says military retirees may have to start paying more for their health care. That’s according to military columnist Tom Philpott. This continues a theme that’s been sounded for months by various DoD officials which, in essence, blames military retiree benefits for a shortfall in funds needed to support active duty personnel. The biggest culprit in DoD eyes is military health care, especially the various Tricare options being used by retirees. In his article Philpott quoted Administration sources as stating that some of the options being considered are higher Tricare Prime fees and co-payments, enrollment fees for users of Tricare Standard, payouts or buyouts to get military retirees to use other health insurance options, and a plan to combine higher fees and co-pays with the offer of tax-deferred military Health Savings Accounts. In a separate column, Philpott reported that a Government Accountability Office (GAO) study indicates military personnel costs are rising too rapidly and that deferred compensation such as retirement and lifetime health care are not efficient ways of attracting new recruits. The study also says military benefits are “much greater” than those in the civilian sector. Quoting Philpott, “It is ‘highly questionable’ whether these ‘dramatic increases’ in compensation are affordable or sustainable over the long term, GAO says, particularly when supplemental wartime spending recedes.” AMS is very concerned about the growing chorus of attacks on military retiree benefits coming out of the Administration and Congress. We expect there will be an attempt next year to raise Tricare enrollment fees and prescription drug co-pays for all military retirees. In addition, we expect the Administration once again to propose establishing VA enrollment fees and prescription drug co-pay increases for certain categories of veterans. We will fight any of the proposals that come before Congress and we’ll keep you informed as the events develop. |
||||