The National Association for Uniformed Services strongly opposes the Pentagon plan for steep increases in TRICARE fees.
The federal fiscal year 2013 defense proposal would raise fees for all programs in TRICARE, the military health care plan.
“It’s an outrage to hear DOD tell military retirees that the costs for promised benefits are squeezing out available resources for our national defense,” said retired Marine Lt. Gen. Jack Klimp, NAUS president and CEO. “NAUS is compelled to protect those who served to protect us,” Klimp said.
“After a career of defending our citizens and our freedom, these brave men and women should not have to fight to keep the nation’s side of its obligation.”
Under the Pentagon’s plan, TRICARE Prime annual enrollment fees for a family would jump nearly four-fold over five years. A rapidly growing enrollment fee would be initiated for TRICARE Standard and one would be imposed for the first time on TRICARE for Life, too. Pharmacy copays would increase to $34 per prescription from $9. And beneficiaries would pay $3 billion more next year for their healthcare benefits they sacrificed in armed service to earn.
“Congress has a unique responsibility to act – indeed it has a moral obligation,” the NAUS president said. “TRICARE is an earned benefit. It is an integral part of a moral contract, a practical fulfillment of a nation’s promise to those who honorably served a career in the Uniformed Services.”
The NAUS chief executive asks Congress to stop the war on TRICARE, “Protect those who served to protect you. They paid a personal price to earn their benefits. Don’t break faith.”
NAUS is a nonprofit, non-partisan association dedicated to protecting the interests of – and benefits earned by – members of the uniformed services for themselves, their families and survivors. NAUS provides administrative support to the Society of Military Widows.
For more information, visit the association’s web site at www.NAUS.org.
