Contact: Julianne Fisher, Noah Pinegar (202)224-5842

Johnson Introduces Bill to Enhance Health Care for Military Retirees

Keep Our Promises to America’s Military Retirees Act

Wednesday, February 11, 2004

Washington, DC – U.S. Senator Tim Johnson (D-SD) introduced legislation today to improve health care for our nation's military retirees -- the Keep Our Promises to America's Military Retirees Act.

"I know how poor health care and broken promises can reduce morale within our military. A poor 'quality of life' among our active duty personnel, veterans, and military retirees has a direct impact on recruitment and retention of the best and brightest in our Armed Forces," Johnson said. "A promise made should be a promise kept. In 2000, Congress enacted my TRICARE for Life legislation, which provided health care to Medicare-eligible military retirees. This bill takes the next step and improves those benefits."

In the past, military recruiters routinely promised that the government would provide lifetime health care to military retirees and their dependants if they served at least 20 years. However, in 1956, Congress passed a law that provided for health care at military facilities only on a "space available" basis. This law had the effect of limiting the federal government's commitment to military retiree health care.

In 1996, a group of military retirees filed a law suit in Federal Court alleging breach of contract with military retirees over the age of 65 for the failure of the U.S. to provide the medical care it had promised. The case reached a final resolution in November 2002 when a Federal Appeals Court ruled that only Congress can authorize the level of health care the government will provide to military retirees.

Johnson's legislation, the Keep Our Promises to America's Military Retirees Act, takes the next step in fulfilling our commitments to our military retirees, and will improve their health care benefits in three ways:

1. The bill waives the required Medicare Part B co-payments under TRICARE for Life for military retirees who entered the service prior to December 7, 1956. This would give these military retirees the free health care they were promised.

2. Military retirees in some communities have a difficult time accessing doctors in the TRICARE system. For military retirees underserved by TRICARE, the bill would give them the option of electing coverage under the Federal Employees Health Benefit Program (FEHBP) rather than TRICARE – thus, broadening their options for care.

3. Finally, the bill establishes a system to reimburse pharmacy expenses--at TRICARE rates--for military retirees who cannot access TRICARE pharmacies due to physical or medical constraints.

Similar legislation has been introduced in the House of Representatives by Representative Chris Van Hollen (D-MD). The legislation has been endorsed by the Military Officers Association of America, the National Association for Uniformed Services, the Retired Enlisted Association, and the Air Force Sergeants Association.

"I am proud to be working with these distinguished military retiree organizations on this issue and look forward to working with my colleagues for passage of this bill," Johnson concluded. Johnson's original TRICARE legislation was passed in 2000.

###

( home )