TRICARE Standard Health Care Improvement Plan Reintroduced in the House

TRICARE Standard Health Care Improvement Plan Reintroduced in the House

(Washington, DC) - U.S. Representative Charlie Norwood (GA-09) today re-introduced legislation to address current inequities in TRICARE Standard, the health insurance program offered to active duty and retired military members and dependents.

The bill seeks three major improvements to the troubled TRICARE Standard program. The plan has been plagued by reimbursement rates to doctors, dentists, and hospitals so low that many will not participate in the program, while the patient's share of the bill remains higher than any other federal employee health plan. Specifically, the bill would:

· Lower retiree co-pay levels for TRICARE Standard from 25% to 20%.

· Raise TRICARE Standard reimbursement rates to the same level as Blue Cross/Blue Shield Standard.

· Reduce the TRICARE Standard in-patient cost-sharing formula between the patient and the Department of Defense to reflect FEHBP cost-saving arrangements of unlimited days with a $100 maximum co-payment per day per admission and a $500 cap per admission effective October 1, 2005.

"In a time of war, it is inexcusable that our military families aren't receiving the very best health plan offered to any federal employee - not the worst," says Norwood. "We've made a lot of progress improving the benefits of older retirees over the past several years, now it's time we correct this injustice."

http://www.house.gov/apps/list/press/ga09_norwood/TRICAREStdReform.html