tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4299281541084179943.post5606386334625015175..comments2023-10-24T11:32:02.703-04:00Comments on Five X Five: Air Force’s Top Officer Provides Tough Talk on Health Care EntitlementReserveOfficerhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09767405949527115923noreply@blogger.comBlogger16125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4299281541084179943.post-65350476080538526692011-12-10T17:26:04.199-05:002011-12-10T17:26:04.199-05:00With all due respect the General is being payed to...With all due respect the General is being payed to make the call. But, health care is something all active and retired military members have earned and should be FREE to all military (active and retired). Don't compare to civilian plans, let them come fight and die if the want free health care.<br />Threats of the world are changing and maybe some expensive weapon systems are not needed.<br /Anonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4299281541084179943.post-36316385915183814862011-02-12T02:11:47.139-05:002011-02-12T02:11:47.139-05:00I agree ROA has lost touch....get rid of them...st...I agree ROA has lost touch....get rid of them...stop apying your dues.Anonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4299281541084179943.post-11020517415174333692010-09-29T18:18:03.480-04:002010-09-29T18:18:03.480-04:00The ROA has lost touch with membership. End of st...The ROA has lost touch with membership. End of story.Anonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4299281541084179943.post-71198286486085941702010-09-29T09:02:43.274-04:002010-09-29T09:02:43.274-04:00We are indeed paying attention to the comments. Mo...We are indeed paying attention to the comments. Most helpful have been the comments that give testiment to the fact actual costs of using Tricare are less than represented by those taking aim at this benefit.<br /><br />Having said that, Schwartz' comments are more of a warning shot than a threat to this particular benefit. He is not advocating getting rid of Tricare. He is, though, saying weReserveOfficerhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/14705645401305620810noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4299281541084179943.post-48819711489819887102010-09-28T22:46:51.612-04:002010-09-28T22:46:51.612-04:00ROA: Are you paying attention to these responses?...ROA: Are you paying attention to these responses? Can you begin to represent your membership? <br /><br />As a close friend of mine once said, "This dog don't hunt." We earned these benefits. We are entitled to these benefits. This is no longer cutting into hide; it is cutting into bone - our bone. <br /><br />ROA - 1) Do you care? 2) What do you intend to do? We want you toAnonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4299281541084179943.post-34292349854357673302010-09-28T18:41:05.905-04:002010-09-28T18:41:05.905-04:00I believe that Gen. Schwartz needs to looks at the...I believe that Gen. Schwartz needs to looks at the whole picture for the Reserves and National Guard. Our medical doesn’t cost that much. Except for five years of active duty (no dependents) I have footed my own healthcare for 35 years for my family, with 32 years in the Reserves at no cost to the military, except for an annual flight physical and a few shots. The military has covered 4 years inwymappernoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4299281541084179943.post-38985202299887458322010-09-28T10:36:52.465-04:002010-09-28T10:36:52.465-04:00The good general has a disconnect with the Reserve...The good general has a disconnect with the Reserves and Reservists. Many like myself have spent the past ten years almost completely on active duty. Reserves are used as active duty on the cheap and when we retire with a couple of years short of the 20 active duty required for real benefits we receive nothing but the great gray area. Reservist were told that they were back fill for national Anonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4299281541084179943.post-81887422294040558502010-09-27T11:55:14.658-04:002010-09-27T11:55:14.658-04:00Just one more excuse for the ROA to not represent ...Just one more excuse for the ROA to not represent our needs. If the ROA doesn't believe that we are so much smarter than that and can see through this smoke, they are as far removed from their members as is possible.<br /><br />We have fought independently more than the ROA for these benefits, even though these benefit driving initiatives were the promises made to us to get us to join by Anonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4299281541084179943.post-79469242382347988972010-09-25T15:33:49.295-04:002010-09-25T15:33:49.295-04:00How about if Congress takes retiree health care ou...How about if Congress takes retiree health care out of the DoD budget?<br /><br />It took angry retirees to force DoD to own up to Tricare for Life in the 1990's. They were ready to throw retirees under the bus. Still, trying to get a retiree appointment on a base is tedious. <br /><br />Congress just needs to get everyone off base, onto Tricare Remote, Medicare, VA etc. and quit trying toAnonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4299281541084179943.post-89047325029582591692010-09-24T17:18:34.391-04:002010-09-24T17:18:34.391-04:00I recently checked my healthcare expenditures from...I recently checked my healthcare expenditures from January 1 thru July 31 of 2010. I am now on MEDICARE and Tricare for Life.<br /><br />The amount billed by providers was a bit more than $96K. The amount paid by MEDICARE and TFL was approximately $23K, with TFL paying $4.7K of the $23K.<br /><br />So, there seems to be a lot of room to maneuver in healthcare costs. But I have to believe that Anonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4299281541084179943.post-50564385646068277852010-09-24T09:25:19.641-04:002010-09-24T09:25:19.641-04:00So, while Congress is trying to pass the DREAM act...So, while Congress is trying to pass the DREAM act and give entitlements to aliens living in our country - the good General is saying we need to ask veteran's to pay more for their entitlements. Yeah, that's logical.<br /><br />He states that 10% of the DOD budget is for healthcare, but statistics are relative numbers. I was at a ROA presentation 2 years ago, where they stated that it Anonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4299281541084179943.post-6846838508531878132010-09-24T01:23:06.169-04:002010-09-24T01:23:06.169-04:00I guess this wasn't a big concern when we were...I guess this wasn't a big concern when we were being promised free healthcare for life if we completed a career in the military. The comment about retiring at 38, what percentage is that and I bet for the most part, medical costs for most is relatively low until about 50-60 or more. We have changed benefits before only to discover we have a recruiting problem and had to change back. I'Anonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4299281541084179943.post-78291313858309048432010-09-23T09:39:41.123-04:002010-09-23T09:39:41.123-04:00I agree with the General. Our AF is flying planes...I agree with the General. Our AF is flying planes that are expected to be operational up to 100-years old. I think the priority is renewing our fleet versus keeping health care costs down for our retirees. It is obvious that with a DoD budget exceeding $700B there are competing priorities and health care should NOT be the priority. I do think health care is important for men and women who Anonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4299281541084179943.post-62916428879555163412010-09-22T23:19:15.010-04:002010-09-22T23:19:15.010-04:00I agree with Gen Schwartz. Over the past 25 years...I agree with Gen Schwartz. Over the past 25 years, co-pays have remained the same while costs, military and retirement pay have increased. As co-pays are directly linked to using Tricare, only those placing a demand on the system would pay. Most retirees are in better health than their civilian counterpart, so our need for care is reduced. The alternative is to reduce Tricare services (rationDsrtknghthttps://www.blogger.com/profile/10510935370598040799noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4299281541084179943.post-17004155923606290602010-09-22T16:24:12.215-04:002010-09-22T16:24:12.215-04:00I am a retired Colonel and I agree with General Sc...I am a retired Colonel and I agree with General Schwartz. We should raise the co-pays and fees for TRICARE. Active military are provided with full health care, as they should be. However, retirees and their families, who are under age 65 (at age 65 they become eligible for MEDICARE Part B and TRICARE For Life) can afford it and should be expected to pay considerably more than the unrealisticly Anonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4299281541084179943.post-40756383687127591172010-09-20T16:09:27.064-04:002010-09-20T16:09:27.064-04:00Let's stop maintenance on our aircraft. It is...Let's stop maintenance on our aircraft. It is too expensive to maintain those aircraft. If we cut maintenance dollars we have more operational dollars.<br /><br />Too expensive to maintain the health of the military? Not when you compare it to maintenance.<br /><br />Health care costs will continue to rise just like R&D, all acquisitions, etc. That is why we budget. The long-term Anonymousnoreply@blogger.com