TriCare Enrollment Fees
04-16-2013, 03:06 AM
#1
Gets Weekends Off
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Joined APC: Dec 2007
Position: Retired
Posts: 404
TriCare Enrollment Fees
The President's budget that came out last week had a few interesting proposals for TriCare participants. Luckily, his budget is DOA. He is proposing that TriCare For Life enrollment fees be charged to all users of the TriCare For Life System. These annual fees will be indexed based on the amount of your retired pay and will eventually go as high as $600+ by 2016. Not only must you be enrolled in MediCare Part B (whose premiums are based on your income) to be enrolled in TriCare For Life, but now you will be charged an additional fee for TriCare For Life.
I am fortunate that the union at my airline has a program that pays up to $112/month for a MediCare Part B supplement. My Supplement costs me $123/month. If these TriCare For Life enrollment fees are enacted, (and something like this will be enacted some day) I may be better off just staying out of the TriCare program (maybe that is what they want).
The only problem will be prescription drugs. The TriCare Mail Order pharamcy is the best deal going right now.
The response of the typical Washington civilian will be "You guys have it made. You should be willing to contribute to this program. It is still cheap compared to what others have to pay." These people don't get it and never will get it. When I see the members of Congress and the Administration coughing up fees for their healthcare based on their income, I will at least be willing to listen to them. Until then, everyone of them needs to be voted out!!
I am fortunate that the union at my airline has a program that pays up to $112/month for a MediCare Part B supplement. My Supplement costs me $123/month. If these TriCare For Life enrollment fees are enacted, (and something like this will be enacted some day) I may be better off just staying out of the TriCare program (maybe that is what they want).
The only problem will be prescription drugs. The TriCare Mail Order pharamcy is the best deal going right now.
The response of the typical Washington civilian will be "You guys have it made. You should be willing to contribute to this program. It is still cheap compared to what others have to pay." These people don't get it and never will get it. When I see the members of Congress and the Administration coughing up fees for their healthcare based on their income, I will at least be willing to listen to them. Until then, everyone of them needs to be voted out!!
04-16-2013, 07:48 AM
#2
Gets Weekends Off
Joined APC: Jan 2011
Position: Wind checker
Posts: 773
While I agree that some form of increase is coming, recommend all to check out MOAA or other types of service organization as desired. Every time Congress come fishing for money for their constituencies, these guys are the ones carrying the bag on the Hill for us...
04-16-2013, 08:20 AM
#3
Permanent Reserve
Joined APC: Aug 2007
Posts: 1,682
Nobody likes higher fees, but medical care costs are going up for everyone, not just military (retirees.)
If you think you can do better with your airline health care or medicare, then you should go that route.
Personally I will be using Tricare - as you mentioned, the prescription benefit alone will be worth much more than $600 year for most people.
Also Tricare has no maximum benefit. Many retirement insurance plans have a $1 million limit, which can easily be exceeded.
If you think you can do better with your airline health care or medicare, then you should go that route.
Personally I will be using Tricare - as you mentioned, the prescription benefit alone will be worth much more than $600 year for most people.
Also Tricare has no maximum benefit. Many retirement insurance plans have a $1 million limit, which can easily be exceeded.
04-17-2013, 04:41 PM
#4
Gets Weekends Off
Joined APC: Jul 2007
Position: Permanently scarred
Posts: 1,707
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