BRAC Plan Portends Higher Medical Costs

Some military retirees will face higher medical costs if certain recommendations to the Base Realignment and Closure Commission are carried out. Under plan prepared by the Medical Joint Cross-Service Group, nine stateside hospitals would be downsized to outpatient clinics and their patients needing hospitalization would be referred to civilian providers. Some 148 inpatients a day would be affected, representing 6 percent of all inpatients treated in military hospitals in the States. Even if they were to be cared for by military providers under arrangements with local communities, their costs would rise because Tricare fees for off-base care would kick in. Hospitals on the chopping block are at: the Air Force Academy, Colo; MacDill AFB, Fla; Great Lakes Naval Training Center, Ill; Scott Air Force Base, Ill, Andrews Air Force Base, Md; Keesler AFB, Miss; Marine Corps Air Station Cherry Point, N.C, Fort Knox, Ky, and Fort Eustis, Va.