RCs Face Yo-Yo for Tricare Select

The House Armed Services Committee voted 32-30 to open the new Tricare Reserve Select (TRS) program to drilling reservists and National Guard members for individual premiums of $75 a month or family coverage at $233. However, the provision would push military mandatory spending levels beyond those allowed under the fiscal 2006 budget resolution. As a routine measure, after the committee’s markup, House Armed Services Chairman Duncan Hunter, R-Calif., received unanimous consent to alter the bill if the spending did exceed allowed limits. He then consulted the chairman of the Budget Committee, who informed him that, if the bill is brought to the floor in violation of the Budget Act, he will raise a point of order to prevent its consideration. Currently, TRS is open only to reserve component members who have returned after being mobilized under contingency orders of 30 days or longer and who served at least 90 days.