From: Director, RAO
Baguio [[email protected]]
Sent: Saturday, January
14, 2006 5:09 PM
Subject: RAO Bulletin
Update 15 January 2006
RAO Bulletin Update
15 January 2006
THIS BULLETIN UPDATE
CONTAINS THE FOLLOWING ARTICLES:
== AOL Advisory
[05]----------------------- (5700 Removed from directory)
== Cell Phone Use on
Bases ---------------- (Prohibited while driving)
== NDAA Update [10]
-----------------------(President as signed into law)
== Tricare User Fee [02]
---------------------(Endorsed by Joint Chiefs)
== Tricare User Fee [03]
-------------------- (Savings questionable)
== SCSD [01]
--------------------------------- (No longer applicable)
== GI Bill [10]
-------------------------------- (Simplification sought)
== VA Insurance Dividends
2006 ---------- (1.2 million vets eligible)
== Jet Lag Avoidance
------------------------ (Tips to reduce impact)
== Medicare Rates 2006
[03] --------------- (Not yet finalized)
== Reserve Reemployment
Rights [02] --- (Implementation regs finalized)
== VA Disability Lump Sum
--------------- (Under consideration)
== Thrift Savings Plan
[03] ----------------- (Enrollment changes)
== Tricare Reserve Select
[04] ------------- (Costly for users)
== Tricare Uniform Formulary
[07] ------- (More drugs proposed)
== Medicare Part D [04]
--------------------- (Cost exceed VA program)
== Tricare Prime Travel
Impact ------------ (50% cost share)
== VA Hospice Care
------------------------- (Terminally ill care)
== Mobilized Reserve 11
JAN 06 ---------- (Decrease continues)
== In Memory Medal
------------------------- (H.R. 2370)
== AF Reservists Virtual
Accounts -------- (Now available)
== Navy Reserve
Bonus---------------------- ($15K available to some)
== Reserve Component
Drill Pay 2006 ---- (Online calculator available)
== Identity Theft [07]
------------------------ (VA eligibles targeted)
== International Direct
Deposit ------------- (Country list grows)
== Anheuser-Busch Hero
Salute[ 01] ------- (Program extended)
AOL ADVISORY 05:� Purging of AOL email addees from the Bulletin
directory continues.� Since 15 DEC over
5700 have been removed and are no longer being sent the Bulletin.� All were sent a message advising them this
would happen if they did not respond. To date only 76 have been reinstated due
to responses that indicated they were able to receive the Bulletin via AOL. A
couple of hundred submitted new email addee to receive the Bulletin at. The
large number of non-responses confirms AOL's policy which prohibits the
majority of their customers from receiving email from anyone they decide is not
conforming to their standards.� Because
the Bulletin does not meet their standards they are not allowing any message
traffic from our email addee to reach the majority of their customers. Nor, in
the majority of cases do they notify the sender or intended recipient the email
was blocked. Input from purged AOL users who were able to receive the deletion
notice (about 6%) confirms AOL will not allow their customers any choice in
what they want to receive.� In upcoming
weeks AOL deletions will continue for the remaining 60% of the directory that
has not been purged.�� Those being
blocked who cannot provide an alternate addee to send to can read the latest
Bulletin at http://post_119_gulfport_ms.tripod.com/rao1.html .
���� Other recipients of the RAO Bulletin
Updates are reminded that if they no longer desire to receive the Bulletin all
they need do is click the UNSUBSCRIBE button at the end of this or any future
Bulletin they receive. No message is needed.�
Your email addee will be deleted automatically from the directory and a
confirmation email will be sent to you noting this.� All Bulletin recipients should have both the
email addee [email protected] & [email protected] entered into their
address book to reduce the possibility of it being blocked as spam. [Source:
Director, RAO
CELL PHONE
NDAA UPDATE 10:� On 7 JAN 06 President George Bush signed the
FY 2006 National Defense Authorization Act (NDAA) which became Public Law
109-163. The NDAA contains many provisions that benefit servicemembers and
families reported in previous updates have.�
Some additional ones which will impact on the veteran/dependent
community are:
* Moratorium on
Commissary Privatization Studies through 31 DEC 08.
* Maximum Age for
Enlistment increased from 35 to 42.
* Authorization for
gray-area retirees to travel Space-A on same basis as retirees receiving
retired pay.
* Expansion of authority
to cover dependent travel to visit hospitalized wounded within the
* Authorization of MGIB
Benefits for mobilized members for Licensing and Certification tests up to $2K.
* Authorization of credit
for members mobilized in response to declaration of federal emergencies in
* Authorization for
Governors to order members to provide military support, on reimbursable basis,
to civilian law enforcement agency for domestic counter-terrorism.
* Authorization of
educational assistance for reserves supporting contingency operations.
Secretary of Veterans Affairs must prescribe form and manner of eligible
member's election among the multiple benefits. Break in service allowed if
individual continues to serve in the Selected Reserve.
* Exemption for Guard/Reserve
families from having to reapply for SSI for up to 24 months after a previous
period of eligibility (vs. normal 12 months) if the Guard/Reserve member was
called to active duty.
* Authorization for
veteran's preference for members of Selected Reserve who are released from
active duty.
* Requirement for service
members to designate a person authorized to direct disposition of their remains
should they die in military status to avoid challenges in family disputes.
* Continued TRICARE Prime
coverage for children of members who die on active duty. Coverage eligibility
is until age 21, or 23 if enrolled in higher education for deaths since 7 OCT
01.
*� Increased SGLI coverage to $400,000, death
gratuity to $100,000 for all deaths in the line of duty, retroactive to 7 OCT
01, and� $150,000 free SGLI coverage in
combat zones.� Spousal notification is
required if member elects less than maximum or changes beneficiary designation.
* Authorization for home
of selection travel for dependents of deceased member up to three years after
death of member.
[Source: NCOA DC msg. 11
JAN 06]
TRICARE USER FEE UPDATE
01: The Joint Chiefs are joining the Defense Department in seeking to more than
triple annual enrollment fees for officers in Tricare Prime and double the fees
for enlisted retirees by 2008. DoD wants Congress to jack up fees for those
under-65 officer retirees from $240 a year for individual coverage to $750, and
from $450 annually for family coverage to $1,500. The department wants to raise
fees for enlisted retirees under age 65 to $450 for individuals and $900 for
families. The deductible for Tricare Standard also would be raised, and an
annual enrollment fee would be imposed.�
Medicare-eligible retirees also would take a hit, with copayments for retail
generic drugs jumping from $3 to $5 and for brand name drugs from $9 to $15
retail and $10 by mail order. DoD claims it needs the money from the retirees
to balance the defense budget. [Source: Armed Forces News 6 JAN 06]
TRICARE USER FEE UPDATE 02:� At least a few Pentagon analysts believe the
Bush administration will face a new credibility challenge if Tricare officials
tell Congress, as they have the Joint Chiefs, that plans to raise Tricare fees
and deductibles for retirees under age 65 and their families will save $25
billion over nine years.� Documents used
during talks on the planned fee increases for 3 million beneficiaries fuel
rising skepticism. They show savings of $31.6 billion, an average of $3.5
billion per year from fiscal 2007 through 2015. About 80% of those savings, or
$24.9 billion, is traced to the effect of higher Tricare fees.� The higher fees will generate $5.4 billion in
added revenues through 2015. The remaining 78% of projected savings ( $19.5
billion) hinge on an assumption that 600,000 beneficiaries, facing the higher
fees, will stop using Tricare and shift to employer-provided health plans. The
magnitude of the shift is said to be based on the experiences of civilian HMOs
when they've raised fees.
���� Some officials don't think Tricare users
will behave similarly. Even after Tricare Prime enrollment fees are tripled, as
planned for officer retirees, it is likely relatively few will leave Tricare
because most employer plans still will cost more. Officially, the planned fee
increases aren't expected to be unveiled until after the administration's 2007
budget request and the Quadrennial Defense Review report are sent to Congress
next month. DoD's 2005 report to Congress on Tricare shows that the percentage
of under-65 military retirees who use private health insurance has slid from
46.9 percent in 2002 to 39.7 percent in 2004, a shift that alarms Defense
health officials. The report also shows that a private sector employee's share
of health costs rose by 50% from fiscal 2000 through 2004 while the relative
cost of Tricare for under-65 retirees fell by 8%, thanks to stagnant Tricare
fees and deductibles. The report presents bar charts showing out-of-pocket
costs for under-65 retirees enrolled in Tricare Prime totaled $681 in fiscal
2004 compared to $3,684 in health insurance premiums paid by civilian
counterparts.
���� Defense officials believe they already
have authority to raise Tricare fees or deductibles and drug co-payments.
Legislation might be needed, however, to set an enrollment fee for retirees who
use Tricare Standard. The planned increase in pharmacy co-payments is expected
to generate $6.7 billion in savings through 2015. They would affect all
retirees and their families, including those 65 and older. Indeed, $3.7 billion
of the projected cost savings would come from older beneficiaries. The goal is
to discourage them from using the retail network, a more costly alternative
than mail order or base pharmacies. The current $3 co-payment for generic drugs
would rise to $5 in the retail network and fees would be dropped if ordered by
mail. The current $9 co-pay for brand- name drugs would rise to $15 in the
retail network and to $10 by mail.� A
proposal still under discussion would curb pharmacy costs still more by requiring
retirees needing prescription refills to use mail order or base pharmacies
rather than Tricare retail outlets. The mandatory mail-order policy for refills
would save an additional $2.6 billion over nine years.
���� Opponents of the Tricare fee increases
hope Congress will step in to stop them. Congressional staffers recently said
the odds of that happening narrow if the Joint Chiefs, as expected, VIGOROUSLY
endorse the fee increases as being critical for keeping health care costs under
control. "If the uniformed guys support it, " said a seasoned armed
services committee staff member, "I think it will be very difficult to
turn. " "My gut feeling, " said another staff member, ��is that
there will be expressions of concern and a careful assessment of what they plan
to do. But I would not say that any effort by the department to get hold of
these costs, by any means available, is unwarranted. " Military health
care is expected to� reach $64 billion
and account for 12% of DoD's total budget by 2015.
��� The official plan to increase Tricare fees
may not be released until the President submits his budget for FY07 later this
month or in early February. Thus, what has been disclosed to date could change
and may include additional elements. One of these is a likely initiative to
include a proposal to increase the third tier $22 pharmacy copayment and
establish a new fourth tier of drugs for which the beneficiary would have to
pay the full cost.� [Source: Stars and
Stripes Tom Philpott article 11 JAN 05 ++]
SCSD UPDATE 01: SCSD
became effective 1 OCT 99 for qualified retirees with VA disabilities rated 70%
or more within 4 years of retirement. No benefits are payable under the Special
Compensation Severely Disabled (SCSD) program for periods after 31 DEC 03 when
it was replaced with the more generous benefits under the Concurrent Retirement
Disability Pay (CRDP) program.�
Initially, members had to have 20 years of service for the computation
of retired pay. Those retired under disability retirement provisions (i.e.,
chapter 61, title 10, United States Code) were excluded from eligibility. The
criteria were relaxed 1 OCT 01, to include chapter 61 retirees so long as they
had the required 20 years of service. Effective 1 FEB 02, the criteria were again
relaxed to include those with disabilities rated 60% or more within 4 years of
retirement. 37,000 members were eventually compensated. Members not compensated
who provide evidence of their qualifications may be retroactively compensated
for any months in which they met the requirements of law. Applications for SCSD
were neither required nor accepted. Qualified members were identified and paid
by DFAS using data in DoD and VA system files.
���� The rates applicable over various periods
were as follows and based on the disability rating compensated by the VA for
the month of entitlement:
1.�� Oct 1999: 60%(n/a); 70%($100); 80%($100); 90%($200); 100%($300)
2.�� Feb 2002: 60%($50); 70%($100); 80%($100); 90%($200); 100%($300)
3.�� Jan 2003: 60%($50); 70%($100); 80%($125); 90%($225); 100%($3325)
4.�� Program repealed in Jan. 2004��
[Source: NCPOA Don
Harribine Newsletter 2 JAN 05]
GI BILL UPDATE 10: The
Partnership for Veterans' Education, a group of more than 50 military and
education organizations, is seeking to simplify the GI Bill program and
increase the benefits for reserve and National Guard troops. Currently, the
Department of Veterans Affairs administers education benefits for active-duty
members and former active-duty veterans, and the Defense Department handles
Reserve Component benefits. This split of responsibility has created major
differences in payments, fees, time lengths of eligibility and the types of
education and training authorized. The partnership proposes a three-level plan
consisting of (1) active-duty members and former active-duty veterans, (2)
drilling reservists, and (3) reservists mobilized for at least 90 days. A panel
from DoD and the VA is studying the recommendations. [Source: Armed Forces News
16 Dec 05]
VA INSURANCE DIVIDENDS IN
2006:� The VA has announced more than 1.2
million veterans nationwide are in line to receive $414 million in annual
insurance dividends over the coming year. The dividend payments from VA will be
sent to an estimated 1,239,600 policyholders on the anniversary date of their
policies.� Sent automatically through
different payment options, the specific dividend amount will vary based on the
age of the veteran, the type of insurance, and the length of time the policy
has been in force.� Dividends are paid
each year to veterans holding certain government life insurance policies and
who served between 1917 and 1956.� The
dividends are drawn from the earnings on the trust fund into which veterans
have paid insurance premiums over the years, and are linked to returns on
investments in
���� World War II veterans comprise the largest
group receiving 2006 insurance dividend payments.� One million veterans holding National Service
Life Insurance ("V") policies are expected to receive total payments
of $322.6 million. Another 45,000 World War II era veterans with Veterans
Reopened Insurance ("J", "JR" and "JS") policies
will share a dividend of $11.4 million.�
Over 186,000 Korean War era veterans who have maintained Veterans
Special Life Insurance ("RS" and "W") policies can expect
to receive dividends totaling $79.1 million. Dividends totaling $1.2 million
will be paid to 8,600 veterans holding U.S. Government Life Insurance
("K") policies, which are held by veterans who served between World
War I and 1940.
���� VA administers a wide range of additional
life insurance programs that provide comprehensive coverage and security for
veterans and their families while not paying a direct annual dividend.� They include special life insurance for
disabled veterans, home mortgage life insurance coverage, and the widely
utilized Servicemembers' Group Life Insurance (SGLI) and Veterans' Group Life
Insurance (VGLI) programs.� Veterans who
have questions about their policy may call the VA Insurance offices at 1(800)
669-8477; by e-mail to [email protected], or on the Internet at
www.insurance.va.gov.� [Source: VA News
release 8 DEC 05]
JET LAG AVOIDANCE: Jet
lag is very common after long flights, and is especially difficult for older adults
and people with health problems.� It
occurs because crossing multiple time zones tends to disrupt your circadian
rhythms, confusing your natural 24-hour body clock, which regulates your waking
and sleeping hours and keeps you aligned with your environment. Symptoms of jet
lag may include: fatigue; insomnia; disorientation; swollen hands and feet;
headaches; digestive problems; and lightheadedness.� The symptoms feel especially acute if you fly
from west to east, because it is more difficult for your body to adjust to
losing time when you journey east than to gaining time when you fly from east
to west. You can avoid jet lag altogether by following these 10 simple steps
1.� Adjust your bedtime by a hour a day, a few
days before your trip. Change your sleep pattern to match the schedule you will
keep at your destination. This will help you avoid jet lag during your trip.
2.� Resetting your watch at the beginning of your
flight may help you adjust more quickly to the time zone you will be visiting.
3.� Drink plenty of water before, during and
after your flight. The air on planes is extremely dry, and some experts believe
that dehydration is a leading cause of jet lag. Virtually everyone agrees that
dehydration can make jet lag worse.
4.� Avoid drinking alcohol or anything with
caffeine during your flight. (That includes many soft drinks as well as coffee
or tea.) Both alcohol and caffeine increase dehydration.
5.� Sleep on the plane if it is nighttime at your
destination. Use earplugs, headphones, eye masks or other sleep aids to help
block out noise and light, and a travel pillow to make yourself more
comfortable so you can sleep.
6.� Stay awake during your flight if it is
daytime at your destination. Read, talk with other passengers, watch the movie,
or walk the aisles to avoid sleeping at the wrong time.
7.� Exercise as much as you can on the flight,
but review the two preceding tips. If you need to sleep to match nighttime at
your destination, do that. Many airlines include instructions for in-flight
exercises on a card or in the airline 's magazine; check the seat pocket in
front of you. Try these in-flight exercises:
����� -�
Stretch your back, arms and leg muscles
����� -�
Walk up and down the aisle when the seat belt sign is turned off
����� -�
Squeeze a rubber ball or a pair of socks to stimulate good circulation
in your hands and arms; alternate hands.
����� -�
While sitting in your seat, lift one knee and flex your foot for the
count of 10; repeat with the other leg
8.� Eat lightly but strategically. Remember that
high-protein meals are likely to keep you awake, foods high in carbohydrates
promote sleep, and fatty foods may make you feel sluggish.
9.� Take supplements. Some people claim that
melatonin, a natural hormone produced by our bodies, will cure jet lag by
promoting sleep. Others swear by a homeopathic product called "No Jet
Lag". Melatonin can be purchased online or at most health food stores. No
Jet Lag is available online and at many retail outlets that sell travel supplies.
10.� Relax on the first day at your destination.
If you have the luxury of arriving at your destination a day or two before you
have to engage in important activities that may require a lot of energy or
sharp intellectual focus. Give yourself a break and let your body adjust to the
time change a little more gradually.
[Source:� About Senior Living article 21 DEC 05
http://seniorliving.about.com]
MEDICARE RATES 2006
UPDATE 03:� The Senate passed its budget
reconciliation bill (S. 1932) late in 2005, which included language to repeal
the 4.4% cut in Medicare reimbursement rates slated to take effect on 1 JAN 06
and freeze Medicare and TRICARE reimbursement rates at 2005 levels. It also
included some some last minute changes in unrelated parts of that bill. Before
the bill could be sent to the White House, it required additional approval from
the House because of the changes. Unfortunately, the House had already recessed
for the year, so the measure could not be passed before the 1 January deadline.
As a result, Medicare was required by law to institute the 4.4% reduction in
reimbursement rates.
���� When the House reconvenes at the end of
January, lawmakers will consider the Senate measure. Speaker Dennis Hastert
(R-IL) has tentatively scheduled a House vote for 1 FEB. While a close vote is
predicted, the House is expected to pass the measure. Once approved and signed
into law, Medicare will automatically reset reimbursement rates effective 1
JAN. Medicare then will automatically reprocess all claims filed since the
first of the year, and reimburse each provider accordingly. However, Medicare
has acknowledged that it could take until July before all the claims have been
reprocessed. Doctors who choose to stop seeing Medicare beneficiaries because
of the temporary cut will be given a 45-day reenrollment period to rejoin the
program.� Tricare officials announced
that Tricare will continue to pay claims at the 2005 rate on the assumption
that the legislation will be passed soon, as expected. [Source: FRA Newsbytes
13 Jan 06 ++]
RESERVE REEMPLOYMENT
RIGHTS UPDATE 02:� More than a decade
after the passage of a law designed to protect the employment rights of
military service members, the Labor Department has finalized the first-ever set
of regulations addressing its implementation.�
The 1994 Uniformed Services Employment and Re-employment Act (USSERA)
builds on the Veterans' Re-employment Rights law passed in the 1940s by barring
discrimination against military members and veterans, and by establishing
re-employment rights for those who want to return to the jobs they held prior
to serving.� Written by the Veterans'
Employment and Training Service, the rules are intended to explain and clarify
the 1994 law. The nearly 70-page document was published in the Federal Register
and will take effect on 18 JAN 06. The regulations come at a time when the
mobilization of National Guard and Reserve service members is the largest since
World War II, with a total of 529,310 called to duty since the Sept. 11, 2001,
terrorist attacks.���
���� Complaints of USERRA violations are
correspondingly on the rise since 2002, though there was a dip in fiscal 2005.
According to a Labor spokesman, a lack of awareness and understanding has been
the biggest cause of USERRA complaints. The new regulations provide
comprehensive guidance on USERRA, which works to preserve the seniority,
promotion, health care, pension and other benefits of citizen soldiers when
they return home to the jobs they left to serve the country. Publication of
regulations was mandated in the original USERRA law, but Labor did not complete
a draft until 20 SEP 04. It yielded 80 comments from a
variety of sources. A
report published last year by the American Bar Association was critical of
USERRA enforcement
efforts. According to the report the Veterans' Employment and Training Service,
which is charged with reviewing initial complaints of USERRA violations, was
taking too long to investigate cases,
���� The regulations are written in plain
English and are intended to be used by human resource departments and not
lawyers.� The Labor Department's
Veterans' Employment and Training Service typically is the first to see
complaints that the law has been violated. But in February 2005, the Office of
Special Counsel began investigating the USERRA claims of federal workers with
Social Security numbers ending in an
odd-numbered digit. The
effort was a demonstration project and was intended to relieve some of Labor's
burden. Labor has continued to handle state and local government claims.� Along with the final regulations, Labor has
also published the final version of information leaflets. [Source: GOVEXEC.com
article by Daniel Pulliam 23 DEC 05]
VA DISABILITY LUMP SUM:
The Department of Veterans Affairs is considering a controversial change in
disability benefits that would provide a one-time lump sum, rather than monthly
payments, to those with low-rated disabilities. Veterans' groups do not like
the idea, recommended in a May report from the VA's inspector general as a way
to cut costs.� Donald Mooney of the
American Legion, testifying 7 DEC before the House Veterans' Affairs Committee
about problems in processing disability claims, said such lump-sum payments
would create a number of problems. For example:
-���� If a service-connected condition worsened over time, it is
unclear if or how the veteran could get an increase in disability compensation.
-���� It is unclear whether a spouse would be entitled to
service-connected death benefits in such cases.
-���� Since the VA often inaccurately assigns an initial disability
rating, if a veteran is paid too little or too much, the process for getting
more money or repaying money would be problematic.
���� The idea of lump-sum disability benefits
was first raised in 1996 by the Veterans' Claims Adjudication Commission, which
noted that veterans making multiple claims for the same disability were a large
reason for a backlog of claims, and that most of the repeat claims came from
veterans with comparatively less-severe disabilities who were trying to get
their disability ratings increased.� The
Government Accountability Office (GAO), which has been studying VA claims
processing, noted that about 65% of disabled veterans have disabilities rated
at 30% or less, which consume a large amount of the VA's administrative time
and resources . A survey of veterans in 2000 showed that about one-third of
those with newly received disability rates expressed interest in the idea of a
one-time payment instead of monthly disability pay.� The GAO's representative noted that a
one-time benefit would be potentially useful to some veterans as they make the
transition from military to civilian life. However, this was talked about only
as an option, with veterans retaining the choice to get traditional monthly
disability pay if they did not want a lump sum.
���� A lump-sum payment system saves money only
if the payment received is less than a veteran would get in a lifetime through
monthly payments and if a veteran waives the right to a re-evaluation of the
disability in the future. The 1996 commission asked Congress to approve paying
reduced lump-sum disability payments, but lawmakers never acted. No immediate
action is expected on the new IG recommendation either, but a new panel (the Veterans'
Disability Benefits Commission) is looking at possible changes to veterans'
compensation, particularly for those with low-rated disabilities. That
13-member commission, appointed in February, is due to complete its work next
August, but its members already have been talking about the need for an
extension.� [Source: Times staff writer
Rick Maze article 26 DEC 05]�
TRICARE RESERVE SELECT
UPDATE 03: Effective in 2006, civilian and military employees may contribute
the full amount to their Thrift Savings Plan (TSP) accounts that is allowed by
the Internal Revenue Service ($15,000 for 2006). They may start, change, stop
or resume their TSP contributions at any time (except those in the 6-month
non-contribution period following a financial hardship in-service withdrawal).
Service members also may invest all or part of their bonuses, special pay or
incentive pay, as long as they contribute from basic pay. Those serving in
tax-free combat zones are allowed up to $44,000 in annual contributions. Military
participants can enroll or change their contribution amount at
https://mypay.dfas.mil/mypay.aspx, or by filling out a form TSP-U-1 at local
finance offices. They can change contribution allocations by calling 1 (877)
968-3778 from the 50 States, Virgin Islands, Puerto Rico,
TRICARE RESERVE SELECT
UPDATE 04:� In the final version of the
FY2006 Defense Authorization Act Congress has agreed to extended eligibility to
Tricare Standard on a premium basis to any drilling member of the National
Guard or Reserve who agrees to continue in uniform, not just to those who have
been mobilized in support of a contingency operation. Premiums will differ,
depending on the status of the Guard or Reserve member and their access to
other health insurance. The legislation creates three categories of
beneficiaries in Tricare Reserve Select (TRS):
1) A category for those
who deploy for a contingency operation and are entitled to participate at a
cost
share of 28/72 (those
currently eligible for TRS);
2) A new category for
those who are unemployed or are not offered employer sponsored health
care, who will now be
eligible to buy into Tricare at a cost share of 50/50; and
3) A new category for all
others who may participate in Tricare Standard at a cost share of 15/85.
This makes nearly all
members of the Selected Reserve eligible for military Tricare coverage, but the
price will be steep for those who haven't been mobilized since 9/11.
Unmobilized members who don't have access to health care through a civilian
employer will have to pay almost twice the premiums paid by those previously
mobilized -- about $145/mo vs. $81 for single and $452/mo vs. $253 for family
coverage, respectively. Tricare premiums for unmobilized members with access to
employer-sponsored coverage will be set even higher, at $246/mo and $768/mo for
single and family coverage. [Source: NMFA Government and You News 21 DEC 05 ++]
TRICARE UNIFORM FORMULARY
UPDATE 07:� On 19 DEC the Defense
Department convened the Beneficiary Advisory Panel (BAP) to review
recommendations to move certain Alzheimer's medications, nasal steroids,
antidepressants, and antibiotics to the third ($22-copayment) tier of the
TRICARE formulary. The drugs involved are:
a) Alzheimer's:
Cognex.�
b) Nasal Corticosteroids:
Beclovent AQ, Vancenase AQ/DS, Rhinocort AQ, and Nasacort AQ.
c) Antibiotics:
Azithromycin (Zmax only) and Ketek.
d) Antidepressants:
Prozac Weekly, Sarafem, Lexapro, Paxil CR, Cymbalta, and Wellbutrin XL.
They also recommended
that a prior authorization be required for Mescasermin (increlex). The
beneficiary panel expressed two general concerns with the recommendations.
��� The full range of medications should be made available to active
duty members if deemed medically necessary by the doctor.� Currently, active duty personnel are denied
access to third-tier drugs except when special-ordered by a military pharmacy.
In many cases, members are assigned out of the vicinity of military facilities,
and they should have the same medical-necessity access as all other TRICARE
beneficiaries.
��� In some cases, the beneficiary panel urged a longer transition
period to ensure beneficiaries are informed about the changes and have an
opportunity to discuss alternative medications with their doctors. It was noted
that the panel had not yet seen a DoD communication plan to inform the TRICARE
Standard population and their providers about such changes.
All committee
recommendations and comments must be forwarded to the Director of Tricare
Management Activity for final approval or modification. [Source:� MOAA Leg Up 21 DEC 05 ++]
MEDICARE PART D UPDATE
04:� A study by FamiliesUSA reports
prices for the most commonly used prescription drugs will be significantly
higher under the new Medicare drug plan than comparable prices under the
Veterans Affairs drug plan. The survey by the consumer health group said the
annual costs of the 20 drugs most use by seniors under the Medicare program
will exceed VA prices by as much as 689% -- or $1,156 -- for 20 mg of the
cholesterol drug Zocor. The survey showed that half of the top 20 drugs
exceeded the lowest VA prices by 48.2%, or $261. Of the 20 most prescribed
drugs all but one of the prices under the VA drug plan were lower than the
Medicare plan.� Following are the most
significant difference:
-- A one-year supply of
the the heartburn pill Nexium supply in a Medicare drug plan is $836.28,
compared with $968.40 under the VA plan.
-- A one-year supply of
the osteoporosis treatment Fosamax is $493.32 under the VA plan, compared with
the lowest available Medicare prescription drug plan price of $709.68.
-- A one-year supply of
the acid reflux medication Protonix is $253.32 under the VA plan, compared with
the lowest available
Medicare prescription drug plan price of $1,080;
-- A one-year supply of
the cholesterol-reducing medication Lipitor is $497.16 under the VA plan,
compared with the lowest available Medicare prescription drug plan price of
$717.84
The complete study
results can be viewed at
http://www.familiesusa.org/resources/newsroom/press-releases/drug-prices-in-medicare-plans.html.
It should be noted the VA plan limits drug choices and requires members to use
VA pharmacies, while Medicare plans cover at least two medications from every
major drug category and allow beneficiaries to fill prescriptions at retail
drug stores. As part of the Medicare prescription drug law, Congress barred
Medicare officials from negotiating with pharmaceutical companies. The VA, by
contrast, leverages its position as a large-scale purchaser of drugs to lower
overall prices for veterans' drugs.� The
study compared recent prices in two Medicare regions, one covering the
TRICARE PRIME TRAVEL
IMPACT:� Tricare Prime is great for
people who live near a military hospital or other military treatment facility.
They get priority access to free care without concerns about space availability
(usually); drugs are free; even a stay in a civilian hospital is dirt cheap.
But Tricare Prime is not a good choice for people who travel frequently and
range far from their primary care manager (PCM). Anytime you get non-emergency
care from a provider that is not your PCM, or if your PCM did not refer you to
that provider, your claim falls under the Tricare Prime Point of Service
Option, called POS. A Tricare claim for those services will have an automatic
$300 deductible. And then, if there is anything left for Tricare to pay on, you
will have a 50% cost share on whatever Tricare allows.� If you have to be hospitalized, the 50% cost
share can put an end to your travels for a long while because, unlike Tricare
Standard or even Tricare Prime, there is no catastrophic cap on deductibles and
cost shares under the POS.
���� Ordinarily, when a family has paid $3,000
in cost shares and deductibles in a fiscal year, the catastrophic cap is
activated. Tricare will pay 100% of the amount it allows on each claim. No more
cost shares will be withheld from Tricare's payments for the rest of that
fiscal year. That is not the case under the Tricare Prime POS. There is no
limit to the amount of cost shares you can be responsible for paying. Tricare
Prime members have priority access to military medical care only at their home
base. At any other military hospital, they are subject to space-available
considerations as if they were not enrolled in Prime. Considering the possible
out of pocket cost with Prime, it might be to your advantage to utilize your
other Tricare Standard option and obtain a good Tricare supplement from a
recognized insurer. [Source:� NavyTimes
James E. Hamby article 5 DEC 05 ++]
VA HOSPICE CARE:� Hospice is a movement to another mode of care
giving when a terminal illness no longer responds to cure-oriented treatments
and when the primary goal of care is comfort and care of the bereaved friends
and family.� The Veterans Health
administration (VHA) is committed to providing compassionate and humane care to
terminally ill veterans and their families.�
The now include Hospice and palliative care in the Medical Benefits
Package for eligible enrolled veterans. While many aspects of hospice
activities have been incorporated into VA's approach to the care of terminally
ill patients in the past, a formally structured hospice program provides them
an opportunity to focus their efforts in providing compassionate care in a
timely and coordinated manner. Hospice and palliative care optimize the comfort
and dignity of the patient through the effective management of pain and other
symptoms.� All VA medical centers assure
that hospice care is made available to all enrolled veterans who need and
select this type of care.
���� A variety of organizational models may be
utilized at any particular VA medical center.�
The VA medical center designates a Palliative Care Consultation Team
consisting of, at a minimum, a physician, nurse, social worker, chaplain and
administrator. The role of the team will be to consult with the patient's
primary care team on pain management and other care issues. The team recommends
policies and procedures to hospital management; assumes a leadership role in
promoting the hospice concepts of care; facilitates communications with
community hospice agencies, and conducts educational programs for the VA
medical center and community staff. The team is expected to maintain expertise
in palliative care and in the ethical issues involved in the care of patients
approaching the end of life.
���� If hospice care is appropriate for the
enrolled veteran the VA medical center in which the veteran is enrolled may
provide hospice care directly in their facility or purchase it from community
hospice agencies. The veteran may prefer to use their Medicare, Medicaid or
private insurance coverage for hospice.�
In most situations there is no charge for hospice care regardless of
payer source. Hospice care services are available to patients of any age,
religion, or race. Hospice services are appropriate for many end-stage terminal
diagnoses including cancer, AIDS, end-stage heart disease, respiratory and lung
disease and end-stage Alzheimer's disease. Patients with a life expectancy of 6
months or less are appropriate for hospice.�
In most cases hospice services are provided to veterans in their homes
but having hospice care at home does not mean a person must die at home.
Hospice may also be provided in VA Healthcare facilities, freestanding hospice
centers, hospitals, nursing homes or in other long-term cares facilities.
���� Whether the care is provided in the home
or in an institution, the hospice team includes the patient's personal physician,
a hospice physician or medical director, nurses, home health aides, social
workers, clergy or other counselors, trained volunteers and speech physical and
occupational therapists if needed. The job of the hospice team is to manage the
patient's pain and symptoms, assist the patient with the emotional and
psychosocial and spiritual aspects of dying, provide needed drugs, medical
supplies and equipment, coach the family on how to care for the patient,
deliver special services like speech and physical therapy when needed, make
short-term inpatient care available when pain or symptoms become too difficult
to manage at home. Hospice also provides regular in-home nursing visits and
24-hour telephone access to nursing staff for information, support and visits if
needed.. Hospice provides bereavement care and counseling to surviving family
and friends. Discussion of death and dying is not forced but support staff
remains available to discuss any issues that the patient/family chooses with
regard to the care of someone who is terminally ill.
���� On occasion caregivers may need a break or
some respite from daily care giving. For patients receiving Medicare,
caregivers relief and respite care may be provided in a Medicare-approved
facility such as a freestanding hospice facility, a hospital, nursing home or
other long-term care facility which is covered by Medicare for up to five days
at a time. A hospice patient has the right to stop receiving hospice care at
any time for any reason. On occasion a terminally ill hospice patient's health
improves, or his or her illness goes into remission. A patient's condition may
become stable to the point that the hospice team and physicians believe that
the patient cannot be certified as terminally ill and therefore is not longer
eligible for the hospice benefit. However, at any point in time, a patient can
return to hospice care as long as the eligibility criteria is met and
certification by the physician and hospice team is received. At
www.va.gov/sta/guide/division.asp you can determine the locations & phone
numbers of all VA medical centers. Contact the one nearest you and request to
speak with a Social Worker for assistance if you are interested in this VHA
program. [Source: VA web site www1.va.gov/geriatricsshg/docs/HPCare.DOC Oct 05]
MOBILIZED RESERVE 11 JAN
06:�� Army National Guard and Army
Reserve on active duty in support of the present partial mobilization is now
113,476.� In addition the other services have
mobilized 4,014 Navy Reserve; 7,670Air National Guard and Air Force Reserve;
7,115 Marine Corps Reserve; and 414 Coast Guard Reserve.� As of 11 JAN this brings the total National
Guard and Reserve personnel, who have been mobilized, to 132,689, including
both units and individual augmentees.�
This is a decrease of 11,399 from last month's 7 DEC total mobilization
announcement.�� At any given time,
services may mobilize some units and individuals while demobilizing others,
making it possible for these figures to either increase or decrease. A
cumulative roster of all Reserve contingent personnel can be found at
www.defenselink.mil/news/Oct2005/d20060111ngr.pdf� for those now mobilized. [Source: DoD News
Release No. 1266-05 7 JAN 11]
IN MEMORY MEDAL: Rep. Bob
Filner (D-CA) introduced on 16 MAY 05 the "In Memory Medal For Forgotten
Veterans Act" (HR 2370) which was referred to the House Committee on Armed
Services.� This is a bill to direct the
Secretary of Defense to issue a medal to certain veterans who died after their
service as a direct result of that service, or who were presumptively exposed
to ionizing radiation, herbicide agents, or chemical agents during their
service in the Armed Forces.� For
deceased personnel the medal shall be issued to the next-of-kin or representative
of such person, as designated by the Secretary of Defense. The bill establishes
a medal, to be known as the 'Jesus (Chuchi) Salgado Medal', to be issued to any
of the following:
(1)� Veterans who died as a result of their service
in the Vietnam war and whose name is not eligible for placement on the Vietnam
Veterans Memorial
(2)� Veterans exposed to ionizing radiation who are
or were at the time of death eligible to receive benefits from the VA
attributable to the presumption of service-connection.�
(3)� Veterans exposed to herbicide agents in the
Republic of Vietnam who are or were eligible at the time of death eligible to
receive benefits from the VA attributable to the presumption of
service-connection.
(4)� Veterans exposed to certain chemical agents
who served on active duty in the Southwest Asia theater of operations during
the Persian Gulf War who are or were entitled at the time of death to receive
compensation from the United States attributable to the presumption of
service-connection.�
[Source: New Mexico
e-Veterans News 21 May 05]
AF RESERVISTS VIRTUAL
ACCOUNTS:� Air Force reservists can now
create their own account on the Reserve Personnel Center's Virtual Personnel
Center-Guard Reserve portal. Interested reservists should go to https://arpc.afrc.af.mil/support/newaccount.asp
and fill out all required blanks on the electronic form.Reservists with no
e-mail address can establish one at www.gimail.af.mil/login.asp.� Once the account is activated, the reservist
can make address updates, find assignment information, review benefits and
entitlements and search career opportunities.. They also can get a reissue of
the 20-year letter and/or a mortgage letter.�
The following sections will provide:
-� Points management section provides the number
of points accumulated.
-� Promotions section will help individuals
prepare for promotion boards.
-� Retirements section will provide what is
needed for retirement and what is available to accomplish it.
-� Retraining section will provide alternate
career fields members can go to and eligibility criteria important documents
for Reserve Airmen.
[Source: Armed Forces
News 6� JAN 06]
NAVY RESERVE BONUS: The
Navy Reserve is offering Naval Reserve affiliation bonuses of $15,000 to
certain petty officers leaving active duty as well as to former Sailors.
Candidates must agree to serve six years in the selected reserve and cannot
have completed more than 16 years of total service. They must possess one of
the following skills or be trainable for one: master-at-arms, hospital
corpsman, gunner's mate, intelligence specialist, builder, steelworker,
construction electrician, construction mechanic, diver, explosive ordnance
specialist, SEAL, or special warfare combatant crewman. Retention is high in
the Navy's active duty ranks, but the Navy Reserve has not met its recruiting
goals since JAN 85. Additional�
information is available at www.navyreserve.com or call 1(800) 872-8767.
[Source: Armed Forces News 6� JAN 06]
RESERVE COMPONENT DRILL
PAY 2006:� The 2006 Reserve and National
Guard Drill Pay online calculators are now available at
www.military.com/Reserve_Drill_Pay and www.military.com/NG_Drill_Pay. These pay
rates are effective as of 1 JAN 06. Typically, one drill weekend includes four
drill periods. E-1 personnel with less than four months of service earn $39.27
per drill period.� To utilize the
calculators all you need do is select your pay grade, minimum time in service,
and number of drill periods. [Source: Military.com newsletter JAN 05]
IDENTITY THEFT UPDATE 07:
There appears to be an identity theft scam going on in Mississippi, Alabama and
possibly Pensacola, Florida.� Individuals
are calling VA beneficiaries and advising them that their VA files have been
destroyed as a result of Hurricane Katrina. The caller advises that VA is
trying to rebuild their files and requests their Social Security Numbers and
other personal information. VA OIG has agents looking into this with local
police agencies. [Source: Jim Gaughran, VA OIG Special Agent in Charge,
Criminal Investigations Division]
INTERNATIONAL DIRECT
DEPOSIT: The Defense Finance and Accounting Service (DFAS) recently initiated
International Direct Deposit (IDD) for U.S. military retirees and annuitants
living outside the United States. The first five countries included Australia,
Canada, France, Germany and the United Kingdom where IDD availability was
effective with the 1 DEC 05 pay date. The program allows U.S. military retirees
and annuitants to have their monthly payments sent electronically to their
local banks where they reside. Deposits are made in the local currency rather
than U.S. dollars, saving many the expense of converting dollars for use in the
local economy. Payments arrive in bank accounts on the same day they are
released from DFAS and the Federal Reserve Bank in New York. For those
receiving checks via mail, IDD also offers an alternative to lost, misrouted or
stolen mail, thus reducing the chances of check and identity theft. Nations
chosen for IDD eligibility have met the financial responsibility and system
requirements of the Federal Reserve Bank. Simply put, the banks and other
financial institutions in those countries provide secure and trustworthy
services and have systems compatible with transferring funds from the U.S. to
your account.
���� The IDD program for DFAS will enter
another phase in February 2006.�
Enrollment packages will be sent to retirees and annuitants living in an
additional 38 countries which are: Anguilla , Antigua & Barbuda, Austria,
Bahamas, Barbados, Belgium, British Virgin Islands, Cayman Islands, Cyprus,
Denmark, Dominican Republic, Finland, Greece, Grenada, Haiti, Hong Kong,
Hungary, Ireland, Israel, Italy, Jamaica, Malta, Mexico, Netherlands,
Netherlands Antilles, New Zealand, Norway, Panama, Poland, Portugal, South
Africa, Spain, St. Kitts, St. Lucia, St. Vincent & Grenadines, Sweden,
Switzerland, Trinidad & Tobago. Each enrollment package will include the
necessary instructions, form, and return envelope to begin requests for IDD
service. DFAS can only offer IDD for your military retired or annuitant pay. If
you want your Social Security, VA, OPM or railroad retirement also sent to your
local bank, you must contact these agencies to enroll.
���� At
www.dtic.mil/whs/directives/infomgt/forms/eforms/of1199i.pdf� you can obtain an enrollment packages if you
do not receive one in the mail.� Your
bank representative must complete and sign Section C and you must sign section
D and E (as appropriate). Then mail your application using the return envelope
provided to: Federal Reserve Bank of New York International Treasury Services
E. Rutherford Oper. Ctr, 1st Floor 100 Orchard Street East Rutherford, NJ
07073. DFAS Retired and Annuitant Pay officials urge each enrollee to make sure
the form is accurately completed and signed. Incomplete or incorrect bank
account numbers, names or addresses will require sending the form back and
delaying the process. One item that might be overlooked is the name used in an
individual's bank account �V it must match the name in their DFAS pay account. Otherwise,
it may be misrouted once it is received by the bank. Processing time should be
around four weeks from the time DFAS received your request.� For additional information military retirees
and annuitants without Internet access can call 00-1-216-522-5955 to speak with
a Retired and Annuitant Pay customer service representative. Those with
Internet access can send their questions online via
https://ca.dtic.mil/dfas/s-retired/ret1-pay.htm (for retirees) or
https://ca.dtic.mil/dfas/s-retired/annuity1-pay.htm (for annuitants). [Source:
DFAS Retired Pay Newsletter 13 Jan 06]
ANHEUSER-BUSCH HERO
SALUTE UPDATE 01:� A tribute program that
provided free admission to Anheuser-Busch theme parks to more than 900,000
members of U. S. and coalition armed forces and their families has been
extended through 2006. The program provides a single day's free admission to
any one SeaWorld or Busch Gardens park, Sesame Place, Adventure Island or Water
Country USA for the servicemember and as many as three of his or her direct
dependents. Any active duty, active reserve or Ready Reserve servicemember or
National Guardsman is entitled under the program. He or she need only register,
either online at www.herosalute.com or in the entrance plaza of a participating
park, and show a Defense Department photo ID. Also included in the offer are
members of foreign military forces serving in the coalitions in Iraq or
Afghanistan or in the United States attached to American units for training.
Inactive, standby and retired reserve members, military retirees, U. S.
Merchant Marine and civilian DoD employees are ineligible for the program.
Dependents may take advantage of the offer without their service member, though
an adult must accompany minor dependents.�
���� Busch Gardens Williamsburg and SeaWorld
San Antonio are seasonal operations that will remain closed until spring 2006.
The remaining parks, SeaWorld Orlando, Busch Gardens Tampa Bay and SeaWorld San
Diego are open year round. Personnel interested in visiting those parks can
check operating schedules at www.herosalute.com. Here's to the Heroes is the
fourth tribute to military personnel offered by Anheuser-Busch since Yellow
Ribbon Summer welcomed servicemembers home from the Gulf War in 1991. More than
3 million people have visited Anheuser-Busch Adventure Parks free under these
programs [Source: American Forces Press Service 5 JAN 06]
Lt. James "EMO"
Tichacek, USN (Ret)
Director, Retiree
Assistance Office, U.S. Embassy Warden & VITA Baguio City RP
PSC 517 Box RCB, FPO AP
96517
Tel: (760) 839-9003 or
FAX 1(801) 760-2430; When in RP: (74) 442-7135 or FAX 1(801) 760-2430
Email:
[email protected].� When in
Philippines [email protected]
Web:
http://post_119_gulfport_ms.tripod.com/rao1.html or http://Wildfleckenveterans.com
AL/AMVETS/CORMV/DAV/FRA/NAUS/NCOA/MOAA/USDR/VFW/VVA/CG33/DD890/AD37
member
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