Legislators Act Against Tricare Increases

In a move to block Defense Department plans to impose huge increases in Tricare fees and copays for military retirees under 65, Representatives Chet Edwards, D., Texas, and Walter Jones, R., N.C., have introduced the Military Retirees Health Care Protection Act (H.R. 579). It would transfer the right to levy Tricare fees from DoD to Congress. It also would stipulate that retired military health fees should not be raised more in any year than the retirees’ military compensation. Support by military organizations for last year’s counterpart to H.R. 579 was instrumental in blocking the proposed increases. In addition, last year was an election year.