Recent Defense Department budget proposals have included provisions that would increase out-of-pocket expenses for users of Tricare, the military’s managed-care health plan. And each year, Congress has rejected them outright. A June report by the Congressional Budget Office suggests that such copayment increases may be the way for Tricare to meet future obligations without siphoning off funding for other defense programs. Moreover, while unpopular, such increases would fall in line with those incurred by persons covered by civilian health plans. Tricare coverage cost $42 billion, or six percent, of the total DoD budget in 2008. According to the report, Tricare will cost an estimated 13 percent of the total defense budget by 2026, if current trends persist. The full report is available on the CBO Web site at http://www.cbo.gov/publications/, under the "Health" heading.