Military Update: CBO eyes military retirees, vets for health cost cuts

[unhappycamper]

Military Update: CBO eyes military retirees, vets for health cost cuts
By Tom Philpott, Special to Stars and Stripes
European edition, Saturday, January 3, 2009

A new report from the Congressional Budget Office shows why some military retirees and veterans could face higher out-of-pocket costs if the Obama administration and Congress take bold moves to reform the U.S. health system and to make federal health programs more efficient.

Among 115 “options” presented, though not endorsed, in the CBO report, several focus on raising Tricare out-of-pocket costs for retirees and one targets families. Others would tighten access to VA hospitals and clinics, or raise VA health fees, for veterans with no service-connected conditions.

Working-age military retirees will find here some of those familiar cost-saving ideas endorsed by the Bush administration to raise Tricare fees, co-payments and deductibles for retirees under 62 and their spouses.

But other options are new and, if enacted into law, would raise health costs for Medicare-eligible military retirees and for active duty families. One option suggests having the VA health system disenroll millions of users who have no service-related injuries or ailments.

Every two years, the CBO presents daring options for Congress and the executive branch to weigh in trying to control federal spending. The new report, “Budget Options, Volume 1: Health Care,” is unusual in that it focuses entirely health care, an Obama policy priority, and its arrival is unscheduled.


Rest of article at: http://www.stripes.com/article.asp?section=104&article=59761

[fasttense]

1. 49 million uninsured and millions more under-insured and on the brink

is just not enough suffering for these vultures. They have to ruin everyone's health insurance. Even the military vet who fought for our freedoms need to suffer from a broken health care system.

Let's make sure everyone but the rich are suffering. When does the level of suffering reach the explosive stage?