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February 2010

By: Jack Sinnott, Col, AUS Ret.

Last fall, the Congressional Budget Office (CBO) prepared an analysis of the then pending House of Representatives (House) bill that presented a number of budget options for reducing health care expenses and paying for health care costs.1 Changes to the bill were introduced in the course of its subsequent passage through Congress such that the bill that matures from the House and Senate reconciliation committee may require modification to the CBO options analysis.

Nevertheless attention is invited to each of these earlier Options as they relate to military medicine in order to enable Chapter members to have some appreciation for the way in which the CBO proposed to modify military health entitlements and benefits. This survey of those Options might then offer some insight into what the future may hold, particularly for the Tricare program. Be sure to note, however, that the four options relating directly to military medicine are part of a much larger menu presented to the House by the CBO and from which menu Congress can make selections to reconcile the scope of this Health Care legislation with the price of the legislation’s implementation.

Thus: Option 95 (pages 173 and 174) “Insurance Health Care Cost Sharing for Family Members of Active-Duty Military Personal.”

Subject to a non-taxable $500.00 allowance, Tricare Prime participants for instance would have their cost sharing increased to incorporate copayments to cover, on the average, 10 % of the cost of health care services not only from civilian providers, but also from military facilities. Other Option 95 provisions apply to Tricare Standard and Tricare Extra participation.
1 Budget, Options, Volume 1, Health Care (www.CBO.gov/doc.cfm?index=9925). Options Nos. 95 through 98.

To Be Continued...