ROA's Legislative Director, CAPT Marshall Hanson, USNR (Ret.) attended a briefing by TRICARE Management Activity (TMA) last week. Despite a request by ROA and several other associations to be briefed on TRICARE standard access for gray area retirees, this DoD agency decided instead to brief on the implementation process and resulting timetable. TMA claims that it takes between 16 to 29 months to implement a new program. Pressed during questioning, TMA informed the attending associations that an initial final rule on TRICARE Retired Reserve (TRR) has been sent to the Office of Management and Budget (OMB) for review and approval. OMB has 90 days to review. If an interim approach is rejected, then the package is sent back to TMA, is revised and OMB gets a second chop, restarting the 90 day clock. Unfortunately, this casts doubt that TRICARE for gray area retirees will slide out further into the late fall, with TMA admitting that the suggested Oct. 1 start date is "soft".
In related news, Rep. Bob Latta (R-Ohio) sent a letter to the Secretary of Defense reflecting his concerns of the delays in implementation. Rep. Latta was the original sponsor of legislation on TRICARE for gray area retirees.
10 comments:
When will Tricare include dependents up to age 26 as is in the new Fed law? It appears that Tricare is exempted from the statute. This places a hardship and is unfair to Tricare participants with children.
Based on DOD's history with this TRICARE issue, delay tactics and inaction has been their standard approach. Once again, it appears DOD is trying their best to not implement this TRICARE issue in the 2010 NDA Act approved by a bipartisan Congress and signed by the President last Fall.
Far more difficult projects have been implemented quickly by DOD when it has been important to them.
Where are you ROA? What is your approach on behalf of reservists/guardsment adversely impacted by this delay tactic?
My lack of confidence in our leadership continues to rise. CAPT, USN (Ret.)
AMEN! Major USAFR
It's almost mid-July 2010. Any update on this expanded 'benefit'and its associated costs to retired gray area reservists?
'Lack of confidence in our leadership' you say? Why don't we rephrase that expression simply to 'Lack of leadership.' My friends, our government is rapidly becoming unaccountable to the American people for whom it should be serving, including us Vets. Sad story.
In response to the request for an update - ROA is disappointed with TRICARE Management Activity’s lack of activity toward implementing TRR. With a promised start date of 1 Oct, milestones have been missed as the program has not been expedited. Latest excuse is that it is held up in the Office of Management and Budget. ROA guess: enrollment may start by 1 Oct, doubtful if actual coverage will start before 1 January, 15 months late per Congressional authorization.
Another example of "Thank you Reservists for dropping what you are doing and being there whenever we need you, but you aren't THAT important to the Military to allow you benefits." After 30 years of service, what's a few more years???
Col,USMCR (Ret)
Again, reservists are treated as second class troops. The reason that DoD is getting away with this tactic is they are not held accountable by Congress. Even though they are breaking Federal law by refusing to implement the program, essentially, the response has been "who's going to make us?" Also, don't hold your breath on that lowering the retirement age thing. That's not going to happen either. Let's just bail out another bank
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