McCain: Tricare fees must rise to control costs-care costs will undermine combat capability

[The Straight Story]

McCain: Tricare fees must rise to control costs


Sen. John McCain, R-Ariz., said Thursday that “dire circumstances” are the reason he’s willing to make military retirees pay more for health care benefits.

McCain, a decorated Vietnam veteran and former prisoner of war who is the ranking Republican on the Senate Armed Services Committee, has drawn fire from retirees because of his suggestion that they can pay more for Tricare health coverage for themselves and their families.

“Military retirees and their families deserve the best possible care in return for a career of military service, and nothing less,” McCain said on the Senate floor during debate on the $526 billion defense authorization bill for fiscal 2012.
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“But we cannot ignore the fact that health care costs will undermine the combat capability and training and readiness of our military if we don’t begin to control the cost growth now,” he said.

http://www.navytimes.com/news/2011/11/military-mccain-tricare-fees-must-rise-to-control-costs-111711w/

[begin_within]

1. Cut out the wasted money spent on defense contractors and you could easily pay for Tricare.

[Cid_B]

2. Lots of places to cut before you hit military spending...

Sparks a lot of outrage when you hit people who have given service to the country while you are still paying for people who never did jack. Surprised and yet not that Mccain is the spokesman for this.

[southernyankeebelle]

5. McCain has never supported any military benefits. He is a liar and just

because he was a prisoner of war it doesn't make him a war hero. There are many hero. My dad, father-in-law all served well over 20 yrs and were even wounded during the war.

[CreekDog]

17. You are saying that if doesn't have military service they haven't done "jack"?

no.

[Cid_B]

20. Nope... that isn't what I said...

I'll give you a shot to check again. Let me know when you are ready for me to check your work.

Hint: Mutual exclusivity

[CreekDog]

21. But what did you mean? Stop playing games --who are the people that haven't done "jack"?

that those who have given service in the military have paid to help that have not done "jack"?

tell us. you clearly mean some people and some category of people.

who is it that you mean?

[WildNovember]

3. I remember when tricare came in. "They told us when we signed up we'd get

free medical for life!"

another broken promise.

[southernyankeebelle]

6. When my dad was in we did get free health care. When my husband

came in that was a selling point. When he retired we now pay for Tricare. Our medicines prices just went up. I am worried our health care will go up.

[WildNovember]

8. yes, that's what i was referring to. i was at a military hospital when they were

changing over, & it was a WW2 vet saying that in the hall in a voice of betrayal. they just keep jacking up the price ever since.

I don't think they should be able to break those promises. Single payer for everyone would solve the whole thing.

[woo me with science]

14. Both parties will cut deep into benefits,

but they will not touch the drones or the MIC.

[Fumesucker]

16. Welcome to DU..

I hope you enjoy your stay..

:hi:

[no_hypocrisy]

4. Sell Out

"Dire circumstances" means that McCain would make veterans pay more for what they earned during their service to this country rather than make m/billionaires pay one cent more in taxes to help the veterans' budget.

[Vincardog]

7. This would not be an issue if we had HEALTH CARE for EVERYONE

[tsuki]

9. Good. The AF Retirees here screamed about their "taxes" being used

to fund the public options for those illegals, or even worse, union members. I tried to reason with them. I told them that they have the best policy in America today for their families for $460 dollars a year, but if the public option is defeated, and the Right Wing will go after medicare first, social security second and military retirement entitlements third.

[aint_no_life_nowhere]

10. Keep talking McCain - keep making Democratic converts

[woo me with science]

12. The PRESIDENT has proposed this already.

https://docs.google.com/viewer?url=http%3A%2F%2Fwww.whitehouse.gov%2Fsites%2Fdefault%2Ffiles%2Fomb%2Fbudget%2Ffy2012%2Fassets%2Fjointcommitteereport.pdf

[w8liftinglady]

11. My partner has TriCare-

It's already harder than hell to find a doc who will accept it.
He IS one of the old-time retirees who has TriCare for Life.So is my mom.

Tricare already sucks.Let's charge more.

[woo me with science]

13. This is in President Obama's own proposal to the Super Committee.

https://docs.google.com/viewer?url=http%3A%2F%2Fwww.whitehouse.gov%2Fsites%2Fdefault%2Ffiles%2Fomb%2Fbudget%2Ffy2012%2Fassets%2Fjointcommitteereport.pdf

Not only does he recommend imposing hundreds of dollars in fees for Tricare and raising prescription costs for retirees by about 350 percent, his proposal also specifically talks about the need for regular future increases to keep costs commensurate with the major insurance plans. An elderly military widow I know who takes quite a few medications is looking at her prescription costs to jump from about 130 dollars to over 500 dollars each time she refills.

This for people who packed up and moved their entire families every two years of their working lives from military base to military base, expecting that health care would be one compensation for these sacrifices.

It is disgusting. Penalize the retirees, but fund the MIC and keep the drones coming.

[eShirl]

15. What about taxes rising to take care of the costs?

Wouldn't that be the patriotic thing to do?

[Desertrose]

18. Shame on him.

If you can't take care of the vets currently...why keep creating more with all these stupid wars?

[Tierra_y_Libertad]

19. Soooo...cut the cost of combat by cutting combat and the number of troops needed for it.