obama health care

so what is the verdict? how does the obama health care reform affect those of us that are retired veterans covered by tri care? will be be allowed to keep our tricare or be forced to buy else where? i think this is a bit like social security where the politicians say "do as i say and not as i do." politicans will not be partaking in obama health care.

david
socal

Yeh, I've got the same questions. I have emailed my congressman's office to see if they can tell me the status of Tricare, Tricare For Life under Obamacare. Also want to know if Tricare and/or the VA will be a recognized insurance so that we will not have to pay the IRS penalty for not having insurance. So far, no answer.

Here is what Air Force Magazine on line says:
Tricare Is Exempt: Along with the health care reform legislation the House approved over the weekend, lawmakers voted 403 to zero on legislation (HR 4887) introduced by Rep. Ike Skelton (D-Mo.) to amend the Internal Revenue Code to term the Defense Department's Tricare military health program "minimal essential coverage." Skelton noted in floor remarks Saturday that the reform legislation currently under review would not call for Tricare beneficiaries to purchase additional coverage. He emphasized that his bill would simply "reassure" Tricare beneficiaries "they will not be negatively affected." Defense Secretary Bob Gates issued a statement Monday, confirming that the Skelton bill "clarified" the matter, saying, "The President and I are committed to seeing that our troops, retirees, and their families will continue to receive the best quality health care."

So, as I understand it, a retiree whose Primary coverage is Medicare with TRICARE as the supplement, will see no change in costs or premiums.

My real concern is that doctors will be much more selective when accepting new patients whose only coverage is Medicare & Tricare, especially with the 20% + decrease in Medicare payments they will be receiving. We may find it very hard to find a provider. I hope I am wrong.

Another message on this mess in Washington.
Stearns is an AF vet.

Congressman Cliff Stearns wants you to have the facts about the Senate Health Care Bill & Veterans

The health care reform bill requires an individual to have “minimum essential coverage” for health insurance or that person will pay the individual mandate tax.

The health care bill only explicitly mentions TRICARE for Life as acceptable coverage.

This means that an unelected bureaucrat will determine if current DOD/VA programs like:

CHAMPVA
TRICARE Prime/Standard/Extra
the VA Spina Bifida Program for children of Agent Orange victims
and the VA vocational rehabilitation programs, are insufficient coverage.


Veterans could be forced to buy a health insurance program on the Health Exchange in addition to their current TRICARE/CHAMPVA plans.

The House has voted on HR 4887 which would protect TRICARE, but not VA programs from the Health Care Reform Bill.

Congressman Cliff Stearns (FL-06) is an original cosponsor of HR 4894 (supported by VFW, American Legion, and Disabled American Veterans) which would explicitly protect CHAMPVA, TRICARE, and ALL VA health care related programs.

Here is a link to HR 4887. It's short and sweet.

thomas.loc.gov/cgi-bin/query/D?c111:2:./temp/~c111KVD0XL ::