DoD Sticks to Tricare Hike Plan

Although the Defense Department has pledged to work with Congress on its plan for steep hikes in Tricare fees for military retirees, a top DoD health official says the department has full authority to jack up the enrollment fees for Tricare Prime and raise pharmacy copayments for all Tricare users except active-duty members. On the other hand, the plan to establish a first-time-ever enrollment fee for Tricare Standard would require a change in the law, said Dr. William Winkenwerder Jr., assistant defense secretary for health affairs. On March 14, the Military Officers Association of America (MOAA) proposed a list of 16 options to make Tricare more cost-effective. MOAA’s president, retired Navy Vice Adm. Norb Ryan Jr., said that implementing only three or four of the cost-cutting items would fully eliminate the need to hit military retirees with a $11.2 billion fee increase.