Now This Ticks Me Off

I got this e-mail from a Vet organization the other day:

Task Force: Military Benefits "Unfair to Taxpayers"

The DoD Task Force on the Future of Military Health Care released its final report on December 20, and the results were pretty much as expected.

The report said the relatively low health fees paid by military retirees vs. the growing cost of military health benefits are "out of step with overall trends in the U.S. health care system" and "unfair to the U.S. taxpayer."

This is what usually happens to military members after they get out. It's called The Shaft.

[Our] first-blush reaction to the proposals is that (a) they impose means-tested premiums that don't apply to other federal health benefits and (b) they focus almost exclusively on DoD costs and very little on what level of benefit career military people earn by virtue of their decades of service and sacrifice. In other words, focusing only on cash fees ignores that military people pay far larger premiums than any civilian - but pay them up front and in-kind. When asked that question directly, one of the commissioners answered, "That's for Congress to decide."

Buck passed. These people can call for all kinds of increases, but when it comes time to own up to it, they duck and run.

However, HR 579 and S. 604, the Military Health Care Protection Act could help keep these price increases in check.

Contrary to what you all may have heard, those who retire from the military don't get free health care for life. They haven't for quite a while now.