MOAA LEGISLATIVE UPDATES11 July 2003

Issue 1: Rumsfeld Raises Veto Threat.

The Secretary of Defense told Congress this week that he'll fight any effort to enact concurrent receipt or extend health coverage options to the Guard and Reserve.

The Secretary of Defense sent another emphatic message this week that he opposes spending any more money on health care or disabled retirees.

His July 8 "heartburn letter" to House and Senate Armed Services Committee leaders said he would "join other senior advisors to the President in recommending that he veto the FY2004 Defense Authorization Bill if it includes Senate-passed provisions authorizing concurrent receipt of military retirement pay and veterans' disability compensation benefits, or expands TRICARE." It said he'd also recommend a veto if the defense bill includes any change that would hamper a new round of base closures in 2005.

Issue 2: Discharge Petition Update

The signature total for Rep. Jim Marshall's (D-GA) concurrent receipt discharge petition remains at 201, but that doesn't mean the issue is going away-quite the opposite.

Legislators are being deluged by messages in support of the petition. Those co-sponsors of H.R. 303 who have not signed on are finding it harder and harder to explain their paradoxical behavior to their constituents. Many who haven't yet signed are putting pressure on the House leadership to work out a substantive concurrent receipt deal.

Now is no time to let up. You can use MOAA's Web site to send a prepared message to your representative, asking for his or her support: http://capwiz.com/moaa/home/. Alternatively, you can use MOAA's toll-free Capitol Hill Hotline (1-877-762-8762).

Issue 3: House Passes Defense Appropriations Bill.

On Tuesday, 8 July, the House passed the FY 2004 Defense Appropriations bill by a wide margin. The Senate is expected to take up the measure next week, after which a conference committee will have to resolve the difference between the two versions.

18 July 2003

Issue 1: Senate Passes Defense Appropriations Bill

No funding for Reserve health care, but hope for action next year.

Issue 2: COLA Watch

The CPI has turned in six positive months and three negative months so far this year, so it's very difficult to predict the final cost-of-living adjustment (COLA) with any degree of certainty. Our best guess at present: somewhere in the range of 2 percent.

25 July 2003

Issue 1: Concurrent Receipt Still Percolating.

The fact that Congress has not yet acted on concurrent receipt does not mean nothing is happening. In fact, legislators are feeling the heat more than ever, and now is the time to redouble our efforts.

We're getting indications that several Republicans have said that if their leadership doesn't take positive action by September, they'll sign the discharge petition. So, even if you get a negative or noncommittal response, don't let up-keep reminding your legislators that you expect substantive action this year, and elected officials need to back up their words with action.

Issue 2: VA to Fill Outside Prescriptions.

The VA Secretary announced this week that certain veterans enrolled in VA care but stuck on long waiting lists will be allowed to have their private physician prescriptions filled by the VA beginning in September.

For the first time in its 130-plus year history, the VA will begin to fill drug prescriptions for certain veterans on its waiting lists, beginning in September. Until now, veterans accepted for enrollment in the huge VA health care system could only fill drug prescriptions written by VA physicians.

With the VA Secretary's announcement on Thursday, certain veterans will be able to get their outside or private physician prescriptions filled by a VA pharmacy. No VA appointment will be needed, but the VA emphasized that it urges these veterans to follow up with a scheduled appointment.

To be eligible for the new benefit, veterans must meet all of the following conditions:

* Have enrolled in VA health care by July 25, 2003;

* Requested their first primary care appointment with VA by July 25, 2003; and

* Must be waiting more than 30 days for their first appointment with a primary care physician as of Sept. 22, 2003.

The first prescriptions will be filled under the new program on September 22. Eligible veterans will be unable to get prescriptions filled before that date. The period between announcement of the program (July 25) and filling the first prescriptions (Sept. 22) is necessary to allow VA to identify and contact eligible veterans and to put new systems and procedures in place to deliver this benefit.

1 August 2003

Issue 1: New TRICARE For Life Claims Contract

Late last week, DoD announced the award of a five-year, $487 million contract to Wisconsin Physician Service Insurance Corporation (WPS) to process claims, assist customers and provide administrative support for the 1.5 million beneficiaries dually eligible for Medicare and TRICARE. The contract will be implemented in region 11 (Northwest) beginning April 1, 2004, and will gradually expand to other regions in the months following.

Over the next month DoD will award a number of other TRICARE contracts, including under-65 health care (separated into North, South, and West regions), customer service, and a national retail pharmacy contract. These changes, scheduled to occur in mid-2004, will significantly alter the management of military health care.

Issue 2: VA Legislative Update

Last Spring, the House and Senate Joint Budget Resolution set a $3.2 billion increase in VA health care above the amount requested by the administration. The budget resolution represents an agreement to allocate certain funding levels to each of the thirteen federal departments during the appropriations process that follows.

But in a surprise move, House appropriators and the full House cut $1.8 billion from the agreed increase of $3.2 billion despite a bipartisan effort to stick to the budget resolution led by Reps. Chris Smith (R-NJ), Lane Evans (D-IL), and Rob Simmons (R-CT). The Senate won't take up the spending bill until September at the earliest. With the nation at war and hundreds of injured troops eventually being transferred to VA rehabilitation centers, it's imperative that the Senate honor the full $3.2 billion increase for VA health care services.

On the plus side, House appropriators killed an administration proposal to establish a $250 annual enrollment fee for veterans enrolled in Priority Group 8 (those with no service-connected disabilities and incomes above a zipcode-based means-test). The proposal also would have raised prescription copays for these veterans from $7 to $15. VA suspended new enrollments in Priority Group 8 earlier this year, but currently enrolled veterans in that category would have faced the new payments.

Issue 3: Please Urge Your Legislators Support for:

* Concurrent receipt of VA disability compensation and military retired pay. Rep. Jim Marshall's (D-GA) discharge petition, coupled with the Senate's full concurrent receipt provision, is putting a lot of pressure on legislators to back up their co-sponsorship of concurrent receipt legislation (H.R.303).

* A provision in the Senate version of the Defense Authorization bill to prevent future erosion of active duty pay.

* Commitment to enact meaningful improvements to the Survivor Benefit Plan.

8 August 2003

Issue 1: Defense Bill Conferees.

House and Senate Defense Authorization conferees will determine the fate of key MOAA and Military Coalition legislative goals, including concurrent receipt. The list is below.

Below is a listing of the conferees on the FY 2004 National Defense Authorization Act, who have primary responsibility for resolving the House and Senate versions of the bill.

We hope that all MOAA members will contact their legislators during the August recess, and especially if your senator or representative is on that list.

If you haven't done so already, please contact your legislators and urge adoption of full concurrent receipt, active duty pay comparability, and a number of other benefits improvements for service members, retirees, and their families. Visit MOAA's Web site http://capwiz.com/moaa/home/ or use our toll-free Capitol Hill hotline (877-762-8762).

House -- Republicans Jim Ryun, Kansas

Senate -- Republicans Pat Roberts, Kansas

15 August 2003

Issue 1: DoD Prepares to Eliminate Nonavailability Statements

DoD has published the long awaited interim final rule (IFR) titled "Elimination of Non-availability Statement and Referral Authorization Requirements and Elimination of Specialized Treatment Services Program" implementing sections of the FY 2001 and FY 2002 National Defense Authorization Acts (NDAA).

MOAA has long lobbied for the elimination of the non-availability statement (NAS), which requires TRICARE Standard beneficiaries residing within 40 miles of a military treatment facility (MTF) to use the MTF as the first option for care when undergoing inpatient procedures or document that the MTF is unable to provide the care.

Specifically, the proposed rule eliminates the requirement for:

* Standard beneficiaries living within a 40-mile radius of an MTF to obtain an NAS (December 28, 2003);

* Standard beneficiaries who live outside the 200-mile radius of a specialized treatment services (STS) facility to get an NAS (June 1, 2003);

* Preauthorization from an MTF before receiving inpatient care (other than mental health services) and maternity care from a civilian provider (December 28, 2003); and

* Prior authorization for referral to a specialty care network provider (starting next year under the new TRICARE contracts).

22 August 2003

Issue 1: What will it take to win on SBP?

MOAA asks its members and other stakeholders to turn up the "noise level" for long-overdue fixes to the military survivor benefit program (SBP). Individual members are also encouraged to call their legislators' offices on MOAA's toll-free Capitol Hill hot line (1-877-762-8762).

If it's going to happen, we have to do whatever it takes to raise the grassroots noise level on this issue and raise it significantly.

Issue 2: DoD Awards 'Next Generation' TRICARE Contracts

DoD has selected three health care contractors to administer the military's managed health care programs (TRICARE) across the nation beginning next June.

Issue 3: DoD Awards 'Next Generation' TRICARE Contracts

With the announcement, the three new contracts will consolidate care delivery in the current 11 TRICARE regions; and, the three winners will replace four "managed care support contractors" (MCSCs).

Beginning next April, the new MCSCs will begin providing services in the three new TRICARE regions. To view the new arrangement, go to http://www.tricare.osd.mil/.

TRICARE officials have developed an extensive beneficiary education program to inform TRICARE users about the changes. Information will be sent to every member household enrolled in DEERS.

For more information, go to: http://www.tricare.osd.mil/.

Welcome to CAPT Richard High, Naval ROTC PMS. He is happy to have arrived in time to welcome a new grandchild at Liberal, Kansas.

Rich reports: "I came from Plainville, KS. High school grad of '68. Joined the Navy nuclear power program in March 1971, after two not so successful years at Fort Hays State. Was selected for the Navy Enlisted Scientific Education Program (NESEP) in '73 and graduated with a BS in Mathematics from the University of Louisville in June of '76. Was selected for pilot flight training and went into the P-3 community. My Navy tours have primarily been all flying the P-3. Additionally,

VP-30 JAX FL, first time student in the RAG

VP-4 Barbers Point HI, first squadron tour

NRD Denver, recruited for three years and flew the T-34B

VPU-1 Brunswick ME (special projects)

Patrol Wing FIVE Brunswick ME

VP-23 Brunswick ME, department head tour, maintenance officer for almost two years

Navy War College, masters degree

VP-8 Brunswick ME, Command tour

US Space Command Colorado Springs CO, loved this tour

Patrol Wing ELEVEN JAX FL, was the Chief Staff Officer for three years

NAF Misawa Japan, Commanding Officer for three years, absolutely the most rewarding tour I've done

NROTC University of Kansas

"I am very much looking forward to working with Midshipmen and the community."

"Flight 2341, for noise abatement turn right 45 degrees.." "But Center, we are at 35,000 feet. How much noise can we make up here?" "Sir, have you ever heard the noise a 747 makes when it hits a 727?"