TRICARE Prime ends Oct 1 for Most Retirees

[C130Hcc]

You get what you vote for!!!

The military's managed-care option -- TRICARE Prime -- will be ended Oct. 1 for retirees, their family members and for military survivors who reside more than 40 miles from a military treatment facility or from a base closure site, TRICARE Management Activity announced Wednesday.

Most of these 171,400 beneficiaries will need to shift health coverage from Prime to TRICARE Standard, the military's fee-for-service health insurance option. For beneficiaries who use more than preventive health care during the year, the shift will mean higher out-of-pocket costs.

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http://mcontent.military.com/features/0,15240,254518,00.html?comp=1198882887570&rank=2

[GaryRobinson]

This has nothing to do with Obama. DoD has been trying to cut TRICARE and medical expenses for years. I had to stop going to the pharmacy at Randolph a number of years ago because all of a sudden they no longer carried any of the prescriptions my wife or I used. That was during the G. Bush administration. These changes have abolutely nothing to do with whatever party happens to be in the White House.

[C130Hcc]

GaryRobinson, you are correct that the current TRICARE system drafts were initiated under the Bush administration. However that was in 2007 when Bush was a lame duck president and the country was led by a democratic controlled house and senate.

Budgets are presented for legislation from all agencies with congress putting together the final budget which is presented to the Resident for signing or not.

So yes it is a political process.

[GaryRobinson]

True, to some extent all of the legislation that passes through congress is political and the President does have to sign the bills in order for them to become law. I just know that I retired in 1992 in Austin, TX and a couple of years latter Bergstrom AFB closed and we ended up on TRICARE Prime. Almost ever since, DoD has tried one way or another to increase annual enrollment, raise co-pays, etc. The S*** never stops and it does not make any difference if there is a Republican or Democratic Administration. Both sides of the political process are part of the problem. The only way to really start resolving the issues is to clean house and senate and sent the whole bunch packing, Republican and Democrat. If they don't start working together and cooperate on things nothing is ever going to get better.

[C130Hcc]

Thanks Gary, and I totally agree.

I did just read that:

"Retired and surviving beneficiaries using Medicare and TRICARE

For Life won't be affected by the change."

[Dan Wilson]

I cant wait to see what kind of screw job I am going to have with this, I use Medicare and Tricare Prime but they have to bill it as tricare for life but since its actually tricare prime they will probably screw all of us disabled folks.

Its also a screw job for the wife, her doctors and oncologists bills are going to suck azz

[bobdaley]

I have Medicare and tricare for life and it has worked out pretty good so far. I got stung with one bill that medicare refused to pay but tricare picked up most of it. Everything else has been covered at 100%

Bob

[RomeoDelta]

I agree, Medicare and Tricare for Life work well together.

[Dan Wilson]

The difference in my setup is that I am on medicare and Tricare Prime

I'm not old enough for tricare for life yet, but yes so far the medicare and tricare has worked really well, just getting ready for the screwjob.

Does anybody know if there is any group working on a congressional bitch over this gaggle?