Budget crunchers set their sights on military retirees’ health costs

[SFC Ollie]

That is the title that the local newspaper gave to my Letter to the editor. I won't past the link because it gives my full name and all that but since i wrote it there is no copyright that says i can't republish it here......

Once again the powers that be need money, and once again they look at the Military Retiree.

In 1971 as a young Private, who enlisted in the US Army, I was told that if I served my country for 20 years I would receive free health and dental care for the rest of my life. The truth is we really didn't think much about it back then. It was just part of the package.

I went on to serve 22 years, retiring in 1993. By 1995 the free health care was gone. We had Tricare and we had to pay for it even if we went to the on base hospital. And forget about seeing a dentist.

But it wasn't so bad and we accepted it. $460 a year, $12 co-pay for a Doctors visit. And $3, $9, or $22 for a prescription, depending on what it was.

Now is where it turns common sense on it's head.
You get a little older and end up on Medicare with Tricare for Life as a secondary. Tricare for life is free, you no longer pay the doctors visit co-pay. But what many forget is that you now don't pay the $460 a year, but you do pay roughly $2400 a year for medicare, for yourself and spouse.

Now that increase on a fixed income isn't enough; they want us to pay an additional $200 a year (not sure if that is per individual or family) plus the first $500. (Again not sure who this covers)
But it looks like they now want an additional $1400 a year from military retirees on a fixed income. Not to mention our prescription rates are also going up to $5, $15, and $25.

Haven't we given enough?

P.S. I consider myself to be fairly average and I have never Made $50,000 a year with my work and military pension combined as your article alleges.

I was really surprised it was published today. It was in response to an article they had run that claimed that Military retirees made $50K on just their pensions. Plus free healthcare. Obviously BS.

 

[old navy]

Nice piece Ollie. I did 26 years and 20 days and my little ol' pension barely covers the house and utilities. Another mis-conception is that everyone who ever served also gets free medical for life. Not true. The true beneficiaries don't cost this country nearly as much as the sacrifice that the member and his/her family has paid. My benefits have been pre-paid in pain and blood.

Gates is a career bureaucrat that never wore the uniform. Screw him.

 

[California Girl]

There is no one in public service - from the President down - who deserves to get better treatment than those who put their lives on the line for the country. No one.

 

[rikules]

There is no one in public service - from the President down - who deserves to get better treatment than those who put their lives on the line for the country. No one.

if it were up to me;

20+ years service would get free dental and medical for life (on base, at military facilities)
for self and family (children until 18 years of age)

but pensions would not kick in until 65

30+ years would be allowed pensions after 50

 

[Cain]

Instead of going after military retirees they should take a look at Welfare. Just saying.

 

[zzzz]

Politicians are always backing the soldier when they are in uniform because of public opinion, but once you take it off you are no longer of use to them. They forget that there are almost 22 million people who have served. Of these almost 16 million voted in the last election.

 

[Two Thumbs]

The government never keeps it's promises to Vets.

We are used and abused, cleaned up to have a medal put on for PR, then tossed aside.

If the Navy calls tonight and says the need me, I'd kiss my wife and kids goodbye.


We love this country too the core, at 43 I still get chills when I hear the Anthem and shed tears when I hear Taps. But if a pol was on fire in front of me, I would stomp out the fire just to get some hits in.

 

[SFC Ollie]

After 9-11-01 I stopped at the local recruiters to see if there was any chance I could get back on active duty. I could have, if I hadn't already had 2 stents in my heart..... I'd only been out 8 years....

 

[Big Black Dog]

I will tell you something that is a source of shame for me. I served 20 years in the Navy as a corpsman. When I first entered the service in 1969, after Hospital Corps School I was stationed at a large well-known Naval Hospital. I was taught very early in my career that you always give the retirees extra-special care (not that everybody didn't get good care) because they have truly earned it. When we had a retired military member on our ward as a patient we all jumped through hoops to do our best for him. Over the years I have seen that "care for the retiree" dwindle down to just about nothing. It is very difficult in my area to get an appointment in the Naval Hospital if you are a retiree - you are almost immediately referred to an outside Tri-care providing doctor rather than to be seen in the military facility. The care that SFC OLLIE refers to is indeed dwindling and promises once made are quickly being forgotten about. I believe there is a combination of reasons for this. Years ago, nearly every member of Congress had military service and understood what it was like for someone to be retired military - and the sacrifices that they made to serve the country. Now, the biggest majority of Congress critters have never served in the military and despite saying they "strongly" support the military, they only say so to reap whatever votes they can get for saying that. It isn't true. Military medical care is being raped for funds the same way the Congress mismanaged Social Security and Medicare funds. Basically, what it means, is that a promise from the government is only good as long as it isn't an inconvience or doesn't cost any money. Your OP is well-worded SFC OLLIE and sadly very true.

 

[Foxfyre]

It is a good letter Ollie. Not only the military but millions of seniors who were made dependent on the government for their healthcare based on promises made are likely to get screwed if some elements of Obamacare fully kick in because the most vulnerable among us are literally in the crosshairs right now. That's bad enough but when it is our vets, many who are in worse health than they probably otherwise would be because of their service to their country, it is unconscionable that they are treated as expendable.

But if enough of us speak up, those in Washington DO want to keep their jobs, and they will hear if it's said loudly enough by enough people.

 

[WorldWatcher]

The government never keeps it's promises to Vets.

We are used and abused, cleaned up to have a medal put on for PR, then tossed aside.

If the Navy calls tonight and says the need me, I'd kiss my wife and kids goodbye.


We love this country too the core, at 43 I still get chills when I hear the Anthem and shed tears when I hear Taps. But if a pol was on fire in front of me, I would stomp out the fire just to get some hits in.

Well said.

I can't remember the number of times I chewed a sailors ass for not rendering respect at evening colors.



>>>>

 

[Grace]

Years ago, nearly every member of Congress had military service and understood what it was like for someone to be retired military - and the sacrifices that they made to serve the country. Now, the biggest majority of Congress critters have never served in the military and despite saying they "strongly" support the military, they only say so to reap whatever votes they can get for saying that.

Bears repeating ^


And that was a great letter, Ollie. Well done. Now..if only I could win the lottery. Ill get a smaller island (inside joke), buy a hospital and you and all vets would always get free medical care.

 

[ABikerSailor]

Years ago, nearly every member of Congress had military service and understood what it was like for someone to be retired military - and the sacrifices that they made to serve the country. Now, the biggest majority of Congress critters have never served in the military and despite saying they "strongly" support the military, they only say so to reap whatever votes they can get for saying that.

Bears repeating ^


And that was a great letter, Ollie. Well done. Now..if only I could win the lottery. Ill get a smaller island (inside joke), buy a hospital and you and all vets would always get free medical care.

You know.......I just bought my lottery ticket for the Mega Millions today.

If I win the jackpot, I'm gonna give 1 million to the VA hospital here in Amarillo.

 

[California Girl]

There is no one in public service - from the President down - who deserves to get better treatment than those who put their lives on the line for the country. No one.

if it were up to me;

20+ years service would get free dental and medical for life (on base, at military facilities)
for self and family (children until 18 years of age)

but pensions would not kick in until 65

30+ years would be allowed pensions after 50

You need to factor in the kind of abuse their bodies take during their time in service to the country. Personally, I would treat them all as the very, very best of this country. No one deserves more than they do.

They pay with more than money.... and their families pay a pretty damned high price too.

 

[Foxfyre]

There is no one in public service - from the President down - who deserves to get better treatment than those who put their lives on the line for the country. No one.

if it were up to me;

20+ years service would get free dental and medical for life (on base, at military facilities)
for self and family (children until 18 years of age)

but pensions would not kick in until 65

30+ years would be allowed pensions after 50

You need to factor in the kind of abuse their bodies take during their time in service to the country. Personally, I would treat them all as the very, very best of this country. No one deserves more than they do.

They pay with more than money.... and their families pay a pretty damned high price too.

For sure. Our family has active duty combat vets living from every war from WWII to the present, and they ALL have an issue or two most likely as a result of their service. The very least we can do is make sure they don't suffer or be required to sacrifice more than they already have.

 

[WorldWatcher]

There is no one in public service - from the President down - who deserves to get better treatment than those who put their lives on the line for the country. No one.

if it were up to me;

20+ years service would get free dental and medical for life (on base, at military facilities)
for self and family (children until 18 years of age)

but pensions would not kick in until 65

30+ years would be allowed pensions after 50

1. So it appears that military members and their families are not supposed to have a follow on career any farther than they can drive to a military base.

2. 20-years active duty, transfered to the fleet reserve in 1998, annual retirement? $17,000 a year.


I started a new career at the age of 39, that new career started at significantly lower then my peers (by age) because - you got it - I didn't have 20-years in the field. After earning both a Bachelors and a Masters degree on off duty time. The $17K just brought me back to par with professionals in the same field at the same age.


When people want to bitch and moan about military retirements they always seem to latch on to figures for Captains (Colonels) and Generals - they don't realize that the vast majority of military retirees are enlisted pukes.



>>>>

 

[SFC Ollie]

There is no one in public service - from the President down - who deserves to get better treatment than those who put their lives on the line for the country. No one.

if it were up to me;

20+ years service would get free dental and medical for life (on base, at military facilities)
for self and family (children until 18 years of age)

but pensions would not kick in until 65

30+ years would be allowed pensions after 50

You need to factor in the kind of abuse their bodies take during their time in service to the country. Personally, I would treat them all as the very, very best of this country. No one deserves more than they do.

They pay with more than money.... and their families pay a pretty damned high price too.

Exactly, I figure I add one extra year of physical age to the body for every year on active duty.

 

[SFC Ollie]

There is no one in public service - from the President down - who deserves to get better treatment than those who put their lives on the line for the country. No one.

if it were up to me;

20+ years service would get free dental and medical for life (on base, at military facilities)
for self and family (children until 18 years of age)

but pensions would not kick in until 65

30+ years would be allowed pensions after 50

1. So it appears that military members and their families are not supposed to have a follow on career any farther than they can drive to a military base.

2. 20-years active duty, transfered to the fleet reserve in 1998, annual retirement? $17,000 a year.


I started a new career at the age of 39, that new career started at significantly lower then my peers (by age) because - you got it - I didn't have 20-years in the field. After earning both a Bachelors and a Masters degree on off duty time. The $17K just brought me back to par with professionals in the same field at the same age.


When people want to bitch and moan about military retirements they always seem to latch on to figures for Captains (Colonels) and Generals - they don't realize that the vast majority of military retirees are enlisted pukes.



>>>>

They also tend to not think about how many times we packed up and moved Family and all possessions. We didn't start making house payments when we were in our 20's.

We bought our first and probably only home when I was 46. I don't know if I'll live long enough to pay it off.

 

[Trajan]

I had a 15% disability . Partly due to an ulcer and a wound that got uber infected where in I wound up with cellulitis & hep. b. I would get a shot every 2 years at the VA. 5 years later after I as out, they reclassified me to 10% due to my ulcer treatment being ‘successful’, that is I take prevacid everyday so it was “cured”!!!
2 years later, they reclassified me to zero % and told me since I had apparently shown up negative for the pathogen, that that.

Bullshit, I still have the pathogen, my family doctor showed me the panel test. Try doing anything about it, forget it…you cannot fight city hall? Try fighting the VA.

 

[Sallow]

The Benefits for Veterans should never be screwed with..this makes me extremely angry. This is the absolute wrong place to look for "savings".