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ARMED FORCES NEWS |
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House Armed Services Military
Personnel Subcommittee Chairman John McHugh, R-N.Y., plans to block a
Defense Department scheme to double and triple the costs of Tricare for
military retirees under age 65 and boost pharmacy costs for all military
retirees. During a markup of the subcommittee's part of the fiscal 2007
authorization bill, he is expected to insert a provision to prevent
increases in premiums and enrollment fees until at least Dec. 31, 2007.
This would give time for studies by the Congressional Budget Office and
the Government Accountability Office, as well as for creation of a
commission to review the entire military health care structure. The full
committee likely will retain the DoD plan to raise retail pharmacy co-pays
in order to influence retirees to use mail-order prescriptions that are
less costly to the government, according to sources. |
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