Reserve Officers Association
Limiting Military Health Care Beneficiary Fee Increases
Resolution No. 10-30
WHEREAS, in 2005, under existing US Code authority, the Department of Defense announced plans to impose increased fees paid by beneficiaries for Military Retiree TRICARE Prime health care benefits, over a two-year period, from $230 single/$460 family to as high as $700 single/$1400 family, with the imposition of variable rates depending upon military grade;
WHEREAS, the Department of Defense also announced plans to increase $150 single/$300 family annual TRICARE Standard deductibles to as high as $300/$600, as well as to impose an annual enrollment fee of $300 single/$600 family for TRICARE Standard; and
WHEREAS, the Department of Defense further announced plans to increase in TRICARE Retail Pharmacy fees paid by beneficiaries; and
WHEREAS, the Department of Defense announced its intentions that TRICARE Prime and Standard fees paid by military beneficiaries would be increased annually by nation-wide medical inflation; even though civilian medical inflation may not correlate with military medical inflation; and
WHEREAS, the Department of Defense justified the foregoing fee increases for military health care beneficiaries on the basis of increasing military medical costs; and
WHEREAS, the Department of Defense admitted that the TRICARE beneficiary fee increases were intended to discourage beneficiaries from claiming earned military medical and pharmacy benefits; and
WHEREAS, Congress, in the Fiscal Years 2007-2010 Defense Authorization Act blocked any increases in fees paid by beneficiaries for Military TRICARE health care and pharmacy benefits;
NOW, THEREFORE BE IT RESOLVED that the Reserve Officers Association of the United States, chartered by Congress, urge the Congress to limit increases in fees charged to beneficiaries for TRICARE health care and pharmacy benefits and deductibles.
Renewed by the ROA National Convention 10 February 2010
Adopted as 07-07 by the National Council on 7 February 2007
Source: Department of California, modified by National Resolutions Committee