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[01] --------------------------------- (No longer applicable)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 U.S. government securities.
���� 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, Guam, American
Samoa and Canada; calling 1 (404) 233-4400 from elsewhere, or visiting
www.tsp.gov. [Source: Armed Forces News 16 Dec 05 ]
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
Washington, D.C., Maryland and Delaware, and one covering Ohio.� FamiliesUSA Executive Director Ron Pollack,
stated at a news conference that since the government covers about
three-fourths of the drug costs, "bottom line" is "millions of
seniors will be burdened with unaffordable costs and the American taxpayers
will be fleeced.� The drug program was
promoted on the basis that competition among drug companies would lower
medication prices. Their study indicates that did not happen.� Separately, the Pharmaceutical Care
Management Association, which represents pharmacy benefit managers, criticized
the study, saying seniors will save an average of 31% on drugs bought at retail
pharmacies and 45% by mail order. The Medicare drug plan goes into effect in
January for Medicare recipients who signed up for the program. [Source:
Kaisernetwork.org Daily Health Policy Report 22 DEC 05 ++]
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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