Federal Daily News
Joint Chiefs chairman notes retiree concerns over proposed Tricare fee hikes
The chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff issued a brief statement Feb. 21 that offered a ray of hope to retired military service members who could be affected by proposed hikes in the cost of their Tricare coverage.
While Gen. Martin E. Dempsey noted that there are “no easy answers” to upcoming budget challenges, he said that the Defense Department continues to review solutions to the ballooning cost of military health care — and made special note of proposals to increase some Tricare fees.
“I want those of you who serve and who have served to know that we’ve heard your concerns, in particular your concern about the tiered enrollment fee structure for Tricare in retirement,” Dempsey said in the statement. “You have our commitment that we will continue to review our health care system to make it as responsive, as affordable, and as equitable as possible.”
Among other things, the department’s 2013 proposal budget would establish a tiered structure under which Tricare enrollment fees would vary according to a retiree’s retirement pay. The budget also calls for “modest” annual fees for Tricare beneficiaries over age 65 when they transition to Medicare coverage and use Tricare for secondary coverage.
“In forming this budget, we looked at all cost variables,” Dempsey said in the statement. “Many of you will know that pay and benefits account for more than one-third of the budget and that health care costs in particular have increased from $19 billion in 2001 to $48 billion today. We had to act to slow this growth.”