Senate Passes Lautenberg Measure To Cap TRICARE Health Care Costs For Military, Guard, Reserves, Retirees and Families

Press Release

The Senate today approved legislation authored by Sen. Frank R. Lautenberg (D-NJ) to prevent increases to enrollment fees, premiums, and pharmacy co-payments for TRICARE, the military community's health plan. The legislation was included in the final conference version of the FY 2008 Department of Defense Authorization bill. The bill passed the House on Wednesday by a vote of 370 to 49 and now goes to President Bush for his signature.

The measure would benefit more than six million active duty military personnel, National Guard, Reserves, retirees and their families. The bipartisan amendment was co-sponsored by U.S. Sen. Chuck Hagel (R-NE).

"We owe our troops and their families the best quality healthcare at affordable prices," said Sen. Lautenberg. "As our soldiers and sailors remain steadfast in their duty to protect America, it is our duty to provide for them both when they return and when they retire."

"America's career military service members make tremendous sacrifices in service to our country. We cannot burden our military retirees and their families with dramatic increases in out-of-pocket healthcare expenses. It is wrong to increase healthcare fees on the men and women who have already contributed greatly to our nation before addressing current inefficiencies in the TRICARE system," said Sen. Hagel.

The proposed fiscal year 2008 Pentagon budget would have tripled healthcare fees for military retirees under age 65 and their dependents. The Lautenberg-Hagel amendment rejected such increases and would do the following:

* TRICARE Prime: prevent the current $230 single/$460 monthly family enrollment fee from rising to as high as $700 and $1,400, respectively;

* TRICARE Standard Inpatient: prevent the $535/day co-payment from being increased;

* TRICARE Reserve Select: prevent the $81 single/$253 monthly family premium from rising by an estimated 8 - 16%; and

* TRICARE Pharmacy: prevent both retail and mail-order co-payments from being raised by nearly 70% for all active duty military personnel, National Guard, Reserves, retirees and their families.

The Military Health Care Protection Act (S.604), has also been introduced by Sens. Lautenberg and Hagel. This measure would permanently prevent the Defense Department from increasing TRICARE enrollment fee, deductibles, and pharmacy co-payments, except by the percentage of increase in their cost of living adjustment (COLA). It is supported by a coalition of more than 30 military associations and currently has 20 bipartisan co-sponsors.

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