Comments on: Another Innuendo Over a CBO Report: TRICARE For Life http://themoderatevoice.com/25915/another-innuendo-over-a-cbo-report/ An Internet hub for moderates, centrists, and independents, with domestic and international news, analysis, original reporting, and popular features from the left, center, and right Thu, 18 Mar 2010 14:00:05 -0400 http://wordpress.org/?v=2.8.4 hourly 1 By: D. E.Rodriguez http://themoderatevoice.com/25915/another-innuendo-over-a-cbo-report/comment-page-1/#comment-175527 D. E.Rodriguez Sat, 07 Mar 2009 19:05:08 +0000 http://themoderatevoice.com/25915/another-innuendo-over-a-cbo-report/#comment-175527 Thanks, loriusn.<br><br>Let me post the entire piece by the Retired Officers Association posted on <a href="http://www.veteranstoday.com:" rel="nofollow">www.veteranstoday.com:</a><br><br>News: Tricare for Life not on Chopping Block<br>Posted on January 16, 2009 by gm <br> <br> <br> <br>by James Siscel<br><br>A viral e-mail campaign is unsettling military retirees over 65. Sourcing a Congressional Budget Office (CBO) report, these e-mails claim that TRICARE for Life is at risk. These distress warnings are overstated.<br><br>The report, on Budget Options, Volume 1: Health Care lists 115 options for reducing federal spending on health care, altering federal healthcare programs, and making substantive changes to the nation’s health insurance system. But these are not formal recommendations. The suggestion for TRICARE for Life is only Option 96 on the list. None are formal recommendations.<br><br>A total of six proposals of the 115 might affect military health care. Other options include increasing health care cost sharing for family members of military personnel on active duty (Option 95); increasing health care cost sharing for military retirees under age 65 (Option 97); and copayments and changes to enrollment for medical care provided by the Veterans Affairs Hospitals for enrollees without a service-connected disability (Options 28, 29 and 98)<br><br>The CBO report is a periodic report made every two years. The last such report was published in February of 2007 when CBO provided 250 budget cutting options to Congress on altering federal spending and revenues, of which health care and Medicare changes were a part. What was unusual with this year’s health care report was that it was published in a separate volume.<br><br>ROA would like to thank those members who brought this report to our attention. The Reserve Officers Association is concerned with legislation that might affect the military health readiness, and deny earned health benefits and will continue to track this issue. ROA leadership has been in discussions with other military and veteran associations and the consensus is that currently there is no serious risk. At this point there are no fires needing to be put out. <br><br>sent in by the Reserve Officers Association. Thanks, loriusn.

Let me post the entire piece by the Retired Officers Association posted on http://www.veteranstoday.com:

News: Tricare for Life not on Chopping Block
Posted on January 16, 2009 by gm

by James Siscel

A viral e-mail campaign is unsettling military retirees over 65. Sourcing a Congressional Budget Office (CBO) report, these e-mails claim that TRICARE for Life is at risk. These distress warnings are overstated.

The report, on Budget Options, Volume 1: Health Care lists 115 options for reducing federal spending on health care, altering federal healthcare programs, and making substantive changes to the nation’s health insurance system. But these are not formal recommendations. The suggestion for TRICARE for Life is only Option 96 on the list. None are formal recommendations.

A total of six proposals of the 115 might affect military health care. Other options include increasing health care cost sharing for family members of military personnel on active duty (Option 95); increasing health care cost sharing for military retirees under age 65 (Option 97); and copayments and changes to enrollment for medical care provided by the Veterans Affairs Hospitals for enrollees without a service-connected disability (Options 28, 29 and 98)

The CBO report is a periodic report made every two years. The last such report was published in February of 2007 when CBO provided 250 budget cutting options to Congress on altering federal spending and revenues, of which health care and Medicare changes were a part. What was unusual with this year’s health care report was that it was published in a separate volume.

ROA would like to thank those members who brought this report to our attention. The Reserve Officers Association is concerned with legislation that might affect the military health readiness, and deny earned health benefits and will continue to track this issue. ROA leadership has been in discussions with other military and veteran associations and the consensus is that currently there is no serious risk. At this point there are no fires needing to be put out.

sent in by the Reserve Officers Association.

]]> By: loriusn http://themoderatevoice.com/25915/another-innuendo-over-a-cbo-report/comment-page-1/#comment-172410 loriusn Wed, 11 Feb 2009 18:57:33 +0000 http://themoderatevoice.com/25915/another-innuendo-over-a-cbo-report/#comment-172410 <a href="http://www.veteranstoday.com/modules.php?name=News&file=article&sid=4459" rel="nofollow">http://www.veteranstoday.com/modules.php?name=N...</a> http://www.veteranstoday.com/modules.php?name=N...

]]> By: D. E.Rodriguez http://themoderatevoice.com/25915/another-innuendo-over-a-cbo-report/comment-page-1/#comment-170308 D. E.Rodriguez Mon, 26 Jan 2009 01:21:55 +0000 http://themoderatevoice.com/25915/another-innuendo-over-a-cbo-report/#comment-170308 dr.e: You are entirely correct, and I have written repeatedly about such a shameful situation. I just hope that an Obama administration--regardless of the naysayers ---will give the veterans the care they have earned and deserve, and will continue to improve the service conditions and benefits for our active duty and retired military. I will be the first one to loudly complain on these "pages" if and whenf the Obama adminstration or the Democratic Congress renege on their promises and commitments. dr.e: You are entirely correct, and I have written repeatedly about such a shameful situation. I just hope that an Obama administration–regardless of the naysayers —will give the veterans the care they have earned and deserve, and will continue to improve the service conditions and benefits for our active duty and retired military. I will be the first one to loudly complain on these “pages” if and whenf the Obama adminstration or the Democratic Congress renege on their promises and commitments.

]]> By: archangel http://themoderatevoice.com/25915/another-innuendo-over-a-cbo-report/comment-page-1/#comment-170294 archangel Sun, 25 Jan 2009 22:55:00 +0000 http://themoderatevoice.com/25915/another-innuendo-over-a-cbo-report/#comment-170294 as retired military still working 80 hours a week, both my husband and I, we know full well how the congress treats its vets. 21 years, here, military service. Cant hardly get 10 minutes with a decent doc. There are many older vets who are quite ill as a result of their years of service in harsh environs. The entire situation is still shameful, for current vets/ enlisted. All. That's not even bringing up the walking wounded from previous wars, the MOST vulnerable, and often the most ill, of all the vets... and the most costly to the government, not in medical care, but in lost lives, lost children, lost income, lost family life, lost inventiveness, lost ability to stay out of jail where many go to stay warm in winter, purposefully 'loitering' to get arrested. What kind of purloined medical care for vets is that?<br><br>dr.e as retired military still working 80 hours a week, both my husband and I, we know full well how the congress treats its vets. 21 years, here, military service. Cant hardly get 10 minutes with a decent doc. There are many older vets who are quite ill as a result of their years of service in harsh environs. The entire situation is still shameful, for current vets/ enlisted. All. That's not even bringing up the walking wounded from previous wars, the MOST vulnerable, and often the most ill, of all the vets… and the most costly to the government, not in medical care, but in lost lives, lost children, lost income, lost family life, lost inventiveness, lost ability to stay out of jail where many go to stay warm in winter, purposefully 'loitering' to get arrested. What kind of purloined medical care for vets is that?

dr.e

]]> By: D. E.Rodriguez http://themoderatevoice.com/25915/another-innuendo-over-a-cbo-report/comment-page-1/#comment-170273 D. E.Rodriguez Sun, 25 Jan 2009 19:04:28 +0000 http://themoderatevoice.com/25915/another-innuendo-over-a-cbo-report/#comment-170273 As retired military I know that VA doesn't "take care" of retirees. The mention of DVA and Shinseki was intended to point out that the Obama administration is not going to let the Pentagom or the VA "slight" active duty military, military retirees or veterans as so unfoundedly claimed claimed by BG Clements. By the way, nowhere in the CBO report is there any hint of "cutting TFL out of the budget" as claimed by BG Clements. Yes, let's speak up against any cuts in benefits, but let's do it honestly, without fear-mongering and without smearing anyone. As retired military I know that VA doesn't “take care” of retirees. The mention of DVA and Shinseki was intended to point out that the Obama administration is not going to let the Pentagom or the VA “slight” active duty military, military retirees or veterans as so unfoundedly claimed claimed by BG Clements. By the way, nowhere in the CBO report is there any hint of “cutting TFL out of the budget” as claimed by BG Clements. Yes, let's speak up against any cuts in benefits, but let's do it honestly, without fear-mongering and without smearing anyone.

]]> By: artsr3 http://themoderatevoice.com/25915/another-innuendo-over-a-cbo-report/comment-page-1/#comment-170268 artsr3 Sun, 25 Jan 2009 18:24:12 +0000 http://themoderatevoice.com/25915/another-innuendo-over-a-cbo-report/#comment-170268 Peter R. Orszag, the author of the option-paper has been chosen by Obama to head OMB and will be responsile for putting together his budget. I would expect to see the TRICARE-for-life increases show ip just as they did under Bush. We must get a head start.<br><br>Art Peter R. Orszag, the author of the option-paper has been chosen by Obama to head OMB and will be responsile for putting together his budget. I would expect to see the TRICARE-for-life increases show ip just as they did under Bush. We must get a head start.

Art

]]> By: artsr3 http://themoderatevoice.com/25915/another-innuendo-over-a-cbo-report/comment-page-1/#comment-170266 artsr3 Sun, 25 Jan 2009 18:06:36 +0000 http://themoderatevoice.com/25915/another-innuendo-over-a-cbo-report/#comment-170266 Shinseki is at DVA and you made the same mistake most members of Congress make. I took care of the Veterans, what are you complaining about. ilitary Retirees donot come under the VA. They are under DOD thus Shinseki will have no effect od saving TRICARE-for-life, We have to depend upon BG Clements and others that keep us on our toes to keep our Members of Congress informed of our views or programs like TFL may be history.<br><br>Art Shinseki is at DVA and you made the same mistake most members of Congress make. I took care of the Veterans, what are you complaining about. ilitary Retirees donot come under the VA. They are under DOD thus Shinseki will have no effect od saving TRICARE-for-life, We have to depend upon BG Clements and others that keep us on our toes to keep our Members of Congress informed of our views or programs like TFL may be history.

Art

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