A while back we had a lively little debate...

[Okla-homey]

About administration proposals to hike military retirees' health benefit co-pays.

It would seem that this is a Democrat of whom Homey approves. You go Dan! Nice to know an Okie is leading the charge and knows how to repay a debt.:D

http://img224.imageshack.us/img224/9488/060129a19boren38559danboren5io.jpg (http://imageshack.us)
Dan Boren


Boren to Bush: Don't hike vet fees
By JIM MYERS
Tulsa World Washington Bureau
1/29/2006

WASHINGTON -- U.S. Rep. Dan Boren (D-OK) on Friday urged the Bush administration to back off a reported proposal to hike health care fees for military retirees.

"It's important that we strive toward fiscal accountability, but we cannot balance the budget on the backs of our nation's servicemen and women, especially at a time when recruitment is down and our forces are already stretched thin," the Oklahoma Democrat said.

Boren was reacting to news reports that such a proposal will be part of President Bush's budget, which is scheduled to be released early next month.

Details of the actual proposal remained sketchy, but reports indicated that those behind the proposal believe the retirees' benefits exceed those found in the private sector. They also believe such cuts must be made to help fund new weapons.

Groups representing military retirees, including the Military Officers Association of America, were organizing opposition and news coverage of the issue.

"The Department of Defense is proposing large hikes in health care fees for military retirees -- increases of more than $1,000 per year in some cases," stated an alert on the MOAA's Web site.

Boren warned that such increases could force as many as 600,000 military retirees from the so-called TRICARE health care system.

"I feel these changes are an unnecessary burden on our nation's retired heroes," he said.

"The proposed fee increases would double fees for enlisted military retirees and triple the fees for their officer counterparts. Is this how we repay our nation's military retirees and their families?"

Boren cited reports that indicate the proposal would include the enactment of a first-time standard enrollment fee for TRICARE and boosts in health care deductibles and pharmacy co-payments.

He said the increases would be phased in between 2006 and 2009.

A member of the House Armed Services Committee, Boren said with the military missing recruiting and retention goals last year the administration should be coming up with ways to increase benefits.

Last year the Bush administration made a similar move on certain fees for veterans, but that effort was dropped after Boren and other members of Congress expressed opposition.

by,EMyers--- Jim Myers (202) 484-1424 [email protected]

[BoomerJack]

Okla-homey: I think I posted a link about it and encouraged folks to contact their Congressman.

I don't think there was much of a "debate" about this issue. From what I've seen on here, comments and responses very quickly descend to "you're just a commie liberal Al-Queda loving scum" and "you're a racist/fascist war-mongering pig" type ****ing contests.

But anyway, this post will take it back to the top of the list. And kudos to Boren for coming out about this issue.

[Okla-homey]

Okla-homey: I think I posted a link about it and encouraged folks to contact their Congressman.

I don't think there was much of a "debate" about this issue. From what I've seen on here, comments and responses very quickly descend to "you're just a commie liberal Al-Queda loving scum" and "you're a racist/fascist war-mongering pig" type ****ing contests.

But anyway, this post will take it back to the top of the list. And kudos to Boren for coming out about this issue.

The debate mostly centered on why us shiftless no-count leeches on society could possibly have reasonably entertained the view that we were entitled to military-subsidized healthcare at affordable prices after military retirement.

As I recall, most of the folks here came down on the side that since we relied on healthcare for life when deciding to remain in service until retirement, the gubmint should'nt renege on our deal lightly.

[soonerscuba]

Veterans are liberal Al-Qaeda loving commies, if they weren't they would still be fighting them, I guess they decided to cut and run, I mean "retire". And now they want health care they were promised, wah-wah get a job and off the government's teat.


I wish there was a bigger ;)

[OklahomaTuba]

Awesome.

Glad to see someone stand up for the vets.

[OUstudent4life]

Boren is a stand-up guy. From all accounts, he's a true moderate, votes how he thinks (not how his party thinks) and is accountable for it.

[BoomerJack]

The debate mostly centered on why us shiftless no-count leeches on society could possibly have reasonably entertained the view that we were entitled to military-subsidized healthcare at affordable prices after military retirement.

As I recall, most of the folks here came down on the side that since we relied on healthcare for life when deciding to remain in service until retirement, the gubmint should'nt renege on our deal lightly.

Okla-homey: I didn't intend to infer that the debate on this issue descended into... well, you know. It was just a comment on how I perceive discussions overall.

And again folks, contact your Congressman and get this nipped in the bud. Our retired military personnel and their families deserve better.

[OklahomaTuba]

Boren is a stand-up guy. From all accounts, he's a true moderate, votes how he thinks (not how his party thinks) and is accountable for it.
Thank God!

Dims need more guys like that.

Its a sad day when the 2nd ranking dim in the Senate gets on the floor and calls our men and women in uniform nazis and soviet mass murderers.

[BoomerJack]

Thank God!

Dims need more guys like that.

Its a sad day when the 2nd ranking dim in the Senate gets on the floor and calls our men and women in uniform nazis and soviet mass murderers.

You got a link for that Skippy??

[Hatfield]

even sadder day when some people can't figure out what he really said when put into context with the rest of his sentence.

[SicEmBaylor]

Well I voted for Smalley, however Boren has proven to be a Democrat with whom you can deal. And I like him as a representative quite a bit more than his dad as a Senator. And please don't neg for me that since by all accounts Boren has done an excellent job at OU.

[jeremy885]

The debate mostly centered on why us shiftless no-count leeches on society could possibly have reasonably entertained the view that we were entitled to military-subsidized healthcare at affordable prices after military retirement.

As I recall, most of the folks here came down on the side that since we relied on healthcare for life when deciding to remain in service until retirement, the gubmint should'nt renege on our deal lightly.

How much do you guys pay a month?

[Harry Beanbag]

You got a link for that Skippy??


I'm not Skippy, but here are some links...

http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/content/article/2005/06/21/AR2005062101654.html

http://www.foxnews.com/story/0,2933,159748,00.html

[Okla-homey]

How much do you guys pay a month?

I'm a retired lieutenant colonel and as such, I pay around 400 bucks a year (divided over 12 months) to be in a DoD administered HMO called "Tricare" which allows me, my spouse and our college age daughter to receive treatment at no charge from military healthcare facilities and/or participating civilian physicians. If the kid wasn't in school, she would have been disallowed for continued coverage when she turned 18. People who retire at lower ranks pay correspondingly less, higher ranks pay more.

Dental is extra through Delta Dental. I think its about 30 bucks a month.

Mind you, when I entered service, retirees and their families received free military healthcare for life.

[OklahomaTuba]

You got a link for that Skippy??See above.

[jeremy885]

I'm a retired lieutenant colonel and as such, I pay around 400 bucks a year (divided over 12 months) to be in a DoD administered HMO called "Tricare" which allows me, my spouse and our college age daughter to receive treatment at no charge from military healthcare facilities and/or participating civilian physicians. If the kid wasn't in school, she would have been disallowed for continued coverage when she turned 18. People who retire at lower ranks pay correspondingly less, higher ranks pay more.

Dental is extra through Delta Dental. I think its about 30 bucks a month.

Mind you, when I entered service, retirees and their families received free military healthcare for life.

Wow, I pay $2925 a year for my share of BCBS for me and my wife. I see your side of the issue, but you can see why people would want to increase your premiums with that huge of a difference. I'm torn on the issue, where I don't feel pity for the unions who have something similiar to your coverage and are on the verge of losing it, but feel completely different for veterans that maybe they should pay a little more but should still receive subsidized health insurance.

[Okla-homey]

Wow, I pay $2925 a year for my share of BCBS for me and my wife. I see your side of the issue, but you can see why people would want to increase your premiums with that huge of a difference. I'm torn on the issue, where I don't feel pity for the unions who have something similiar to your coverage and are on the verge of losing it, but feel completely different for veterans that maybe they should pay a little more but should still receive subsidized health insurance.

Problem for a lot of us is we have service-related pre-existing conditions which make many of us "uninsurable" or not able to get affordable coverage from private sector insurors.

I said last time, I would not be completely opposed to paying more, but they're talking tripling it immediately.

[Ike]

I musta missed this debate the last time, and I have to say, I agree completely with Boren. Its kinda crappy to send our servicemen and women out to defend our country and then tell them 'oh, by the way, you are gonna have to pay a lot more for your heath care when you retire'

if military retiree healthcare is that much of an issue that they wanna increase the payments by that much, really, thats an issue where I start to think a bit of a tax increase isn't such a bad thing.

[sooneron]

I said last time, I would not be completely opposed to paying more, but they're talking tripling it immediately.
And THAT is bull hockey.

[jeremy885]

Problem for a lot of us is we have service-related pre-existing conditions which make many of us "uninsurable" or not able to get affordable coverage from private sector insurors.

I said last time, I would not be completely opposed to paying more, but they're talking tripling it immediately.


I see you point on the uninsurable part. Do they treat veterans with disabilities differently then the treat veterans like you (I'm assuming you're healthly and not disabled) in regards to premiums? How much do you pay for a deductable or a copay, or is everything covered after the premium payment?

If you have a link for your insurance, that would probably answer most of my questions.

[picasso]

Okla-homey: I think I posted a link about it and encouraged folks to contact their Congressman.

I don't think there was much of a "debate" about this issue. From what I've seen on here, comments and responses very quickly descend to "you're just a commie liberal Al-Queda loving scum" and "you're a racist/fascist war-mongering pig" type ****ing contests.

But anyway, this post will take it back to the top of the list. And kudos to Boren for coming out about this issue.
yeah and nobody here is guilty of using a broad brush to paint the word neo-con.

[Okla-homey]

I see you point on the uninsurable part. Do they treat veterans with disabilities differently then the treat veterans like you (I'm assuming you're healthly and not disabled) in regards to premiums? How much do you pay for a deductable or a copay, or is everything covered after the premium payment?

If you have a link for your insurance, that would probably answer most of my questions.

I'm officially considered 50% "combat-related" disabled by the VA. I pay exactly the same premium as a retiree not disabled, or one who's disability level exceeds mine. No co-pay or deductibles per se, except for prescription meds which is usually about ten bucks per prescription unless filled by a military pharmacy. IOW, just an annual premium for treatment, nominal co-pays for meds.

I think I see where you may be going, but the problem for me is I don't think a guy who was simply luckier than me should pay more when we both were exposed to the same risk. He or she were ordered to go into indian country just like me, went, served honorably, but didn't get hurt. It seems to me it would complicate the process and could even lead to absurd outcomes if a retiree's health insurance co-pay were indexed to his level of disability.