Note: This web page contains information which is invalid at this time. It remains on the Internet for what it's worth to those interested in MRGRG history.
MILITARY RETIRED GROUP STORMS HILL WITH HEALTH CARE WHITE PAPER
Washington, DC -- Members of The Military Retiree Grass Roots Group (MRGRG) in Virginia stormed the Hill and completed distribution on July 2 to all 100 Senate offices and all 435 offices in the House of Representatives of the MRGRG White Paper urging Congress to make immediate legislative improvements to the DoD TRICARE program, particularly TRICARE Standard.
The White Paper generally received a very favorable response at all levels. There is a growing awareness of the urgent need to fix the unsatisfactory health care system known as TRICARE through a combination of immediate actions by DOD and legislative action by Congress. All military families -- both active and retired -- are urged to become involved, since health care is viewed as their most important earned benefit.
The White Paper is the most comprehensive study on TRICARE from the user's perspective -- written by users and for users. One of its recommendations is that a partial solution to the health care problems faced by military retired families under 65 is to offer them the option of participation in the Federal Employee's Health Benefit Plan (FEHBP). That option, the Keep the Promise Act, is now before Congress in the form of HR179 (323 co-sponsors) and S278 (15 co-sponsors). Premiums for federal employees coming on active duty from the National Guard and Reserves are already being paid for by DOD. The White Paper proposes FEHBP funding at the 90% level, in recognition of the special sacrifice of retired military members and their families, and the fact that retired pay was expressly kept lower than civilian retired pay because of promises made by the government of lifetime health care without a need for additional insurance.
Many specific improvements to TRICARE Standard are proposed in the White Paper. These include: badly needed increases in reimbursement rates; responsiveness to users; immediate elimination of the requirement for non-availability statements that removes choice for military families, and all designed to improve ACCESS, CHOICE, QUALITY, and COST for military families.
This "storming the Hill" phase of the MRGRG efforts will be followed by another direct mailing of a hard copy of the White Paper to the elected official's "home" office in their "home" state. This is being accomplished by the New Mexico branch of the MRGRG, with the leadership of Paul Balaich and with support from the Billboard Fund led by Jack Hollinsworth of Oklahoma. This mailing will be finished within two weeks. Over 700 CD's of the White Paper and initial VIP books for the Congress were provided through the personal efforts of Paul Pritchett of Missouri. All deserve special gratitude from the entire military community.
The entire White Paper is downloadable is both MS-Word and PDF format from:
http://briefcase.yahoo.com/fhs1713 <=== This is a broken link. Retained
here to show the way it was at this point in history.
It is also viewable online, complete with ALL links to supporting information at:
http://mrgrg-ms.org/whitepaper.html <=== This is a broken link.
Retained here to show the way it was at this point in history.
Due to the large volume of email received in support of the White Paper, the Arkansas MRGRG website is discontinuing the email mechanism for taking signatures of support. It will be replaced shortly with the ability to send, quickly and easily, pre-scripted messages based on zip code entered, to both U. S. Senators and Member of Congress in support of needed improvements. An additional announcement will be made when that capability is in place.
The Military Retiree Grass Roots Group encourages all military families and all friends of the military to read the White Paper, and especially to telephone and write your senators and your representative to support legislative changes to TRICARE. MRGRG also encourages ALL to join the no-cost MRGRG by sending an e-mail to:
MRGRG-MS-subscribe@yahoogroups.com
The MRGRG is a grass roots group of military retirees formed to improve health care for active duty and retired military members and their families. MRGRG was instrumental, in addition to the Bud Day lawsuit now pending in the Federal Circuit of Appeals, in motivating Congress and supporting associations to assist with passage of the TRICARE for Life Medicare Supplement. For more information on the MRGRG check out:
The MRGRG accepts contributions for the printing of CDs for all members of Congress, printing and mailing, and for Billboards across the nation that convey our message at strategic locations that "Congress Denies Earned Medical Benefits to Military Retirees."
Donations can be mailed either
to:
Jack Hollinsworth, Military Retirees Legislative Fund, Rte 2,
Comanche, Oklahoma, 73529; or to the MRGRG-NM Fund, 1528 Serrano,
Alamogordo, NM 88310-3900.
A limited number of specially bound, hard copies are available of the complete 215 page White Paper, the same as those provided to Congress. A copy will be provided for contributions to the MRGRG Billboard Fund of $100 or more until the supply is exhausted.
MRGRG WHITE PAPER GROUP:
Colonel John M. Vann, USA-Ret - 703 830-3775 - Virginia
Major Pete Peterson, AUS-Ret - 870 431-5073 - Arkansas
SGM Floyd Felts, USA-Ret - 706 863-9596 - Georgia
LTC Douglas Dukes, USAF-Ret - 912 427-4087 - Georgia
Colonel Jim Engelage. USA-Ret - 540 678-0855 - Virginia
LTC Dave Vann, USA-Ret - 703 591-6034 - Virginia
MSGT Floyd Sears, USAF-Ret - 228 875-2268 - Mississippi
MSGT Jim Whittington, USAF-Ret - 601 426-9734 - Mississippi
LTC Tom Dooley, USA-Ret - 719 576-0019 - Colorado
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