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FEDERAL EMPLOYEES HEALTH BENEFITS PROGRAM (FEHBP) SITE
SELECTION PROCESS
The sequence of site selection for military retirees to participate in the
FEHBP demonstration was released this week. The selection of the sites by a
modified lottery system is scheduled for Wednesday, 13 January 1999, and
Defense Health Affairs officials invited NAUS to be present. We will report the
results when ready.
FEHBP LEGISLATION INTRODUCED IN THE 106TH CONGRESS
The106th Congress convened 6 January 1999 with a Senator and several
members of the House announcing intention to introduce FEHBP option
legislation for the military community. The names of those making the
announcement are familiar to NAUS members as strong advocates for an
improved military medical benefit: they and the bill numbers they
introduced follow:
Sen. Kay Bailey Hutchinson (R-TX) - No bill number yet.
Rep. Jim Moran (D-VA)
H.R. 205 with Cunningham as an original
cosponsor
CONCURRENT RECEIPT LEGISLATION INTRODUCED
FORMER SPOUSE PROTECTION ACT LEGISLATION INTRODUCED
Rep. Bob Stump (R-AZ) and Rep. Charlie Norwood (R-GA) introduced H.R. 72
to revise the rules relating to court-ordered apportionment of the retired pay
of military retirees to former spouses.
THE MORE THINGS CHANGE THE MORE THEY REMAIN THE SAME NEW SUBCOMMITTEE CHAIRMAN MORE BASE CLOSURES IN THE PLANNING Make sure you tell your members of Congress that they must oppose any
further base closures until the promised medical care is in place.
SOCIAL SECURITY CHANGES AS A RESULT OF A 1.3% INCREASE
FOR 1999. 1999 MEDICARE PREMIUMS AND DEDUCTIBLES 1998 1999
For more information check Social Securitys Website
TRICARE PRIME ENROLLEES GET HIGHER PRIORITY
"If youre enrolled in TRICARE-Prime, youre higher on the priority
list to be
treated in a uniformed services hospital than someone who isnt
enrolled in Prime.
The policy that the assistant secretary of defense for health affairs
established in August 1996 created the following priorities for
health care in uniformed services medical treatment facilities (MTFs).
There are certain special provisions in the policy, as follows:
NATO and other foreign military members who are entitled to care
in
a military medical treatment facility, pursuant to an applicable
international agreement are in Priority Group 2, for the scope
of the services specified in the agreement.
Survivors of sponsors who die on active duty, as provided in the
law 10 U.S. Code 1076(a) are, for purposes of access to military
hospitals, considered to be together with active duty family
members. They would, therefore, be in Priority Group 2 or 4,
depending on whether or not they were enrolled in TRICARE-Prime.
Persons other than those in any of the beneficiary groups
identified
in Priority Groups 1 through 5 dont have priority access.
Priority access rules are not applicable to bona fide medical
emergencies, or cases in which the providing of certain medical
care is required by law, or applicable Department of Defense or
Instruction. This includes care for civilian employees who are
exposed to health hazards in the workplace or are injured on the
job. In certain situations, military hospital commanders may grant
exceptions to the priority access rules. For example:
A higher priority may be given to an active duty family member
who's in Priority Group 4 because TRICARE-Prime isnt available wherethe
sponsor is assigned, when the family member is temporary in a
location where TRICARE-Prime is available, and needs medical
care.
A particular patient might be given a higher priority if
necessary, for
the military hospital to maintain an adequate mix of cases forits
graduate medical education programs, or to help maintain the
readiness-related medical skills of its medical staff.
A higher priority might be given to a patient in other
unexpected or
extraordinary cases, as determined by the hospital commander, in
coordination with the military lead agent for the TRICAREregion.
And, in overseas locations, other exceptions may be establishedto
the extent necessary to support mission objectives.
YEAR 2000 (Y2K) PROBLEM:
Although some of the sites are primarily for businesses others might
want to check them out.
If you are running PC based Microsoft systems there are web sites
that can
assist in upgrading the software for Y2K and also checks out the
computer. Changing to Windows 98 will solve most Y2K operating systems
problems. At the Microsoft Website
, software patches are
available for several of the Windows systems, including Windows 98.
Yes2Koffers free software and Y2K Test has a minimal charge.
STORE MANAGERS ANNUAL SALE
This concludes the Update
Rep. Randy "Duke" Cunningham (R-CA)
H.R. 113 with Hansen, Moran (VA), Bilbray and
Granger as original cosponsors
Rep. Jo Ann Emerson (R-MO)
H.R.119 with Skelton, Brady (PA),
Romero-Barcelo, English
(PA), Watts (OK), Bentsen, Hefley,
Cunningham, Underwood,
Woolsey, Baldacci, Condit, Danner, DeFazio,
Doyle, Goode,
McCarthy (NY), Northup, Pascrell, Taylor (MS),
Tierney,
McIntyre, Kelly, Blunt and Barr (GA) as original
cosponsors.
The House Champion on the issue of concurrent receipt of military retired
pay and veterans disability compensation, Rep. Michael Bilirakis
(R-FL) with Rep. Charlie Norwood (R-GA) introduced three bills in the 106th
Congress. They share the same numbers and language as the bills
introduced in the 105th Congress: H.R. 44, H.R. 65 and H.R. 303.
The House Committee on National Security is no more. In the 106th
Congress the House committee for defense oversight has been renamed. It
is now known as the House Armed Services Committee (HASC). Rep.
Floyd D. Spence (R-SC) continues as the Chairman.
Sen. Wayne Allard (R-CO) will be Chairman of the Military Personnel
Subcommittee, Senate Armed Services Committee (SASC).
The Defense Department is expected to propose two more rounds of base
closures affecting more than 50 defense installations beginning
in 2001. This will result in throwing more Medicare eligibles out of
the military medical system. We oppose base closures but even more
importantly, no
Base Realignment or Closure (BRAC) action should be allowed until DoD
has provided a lifetime medical care benefit to all beneficiaries
regardless of age, medical condition or geographical location.
The average Social Security benefit for a retiree $770 $780
The average monthly benefit for a couple
where both spouses are receiving benefits $1,293 $1,310
The Social Security wage base $68,400 $72,600
The combined Social Security and Medicare tax rate
remains unchanged (6.2% SS & 1.45% for Medicare) 7.65%
`The maximum amount of money that beneficiaries age 65-69 can earn in
1999 and remain eligible for benefits is $15,500. For every $3 of
earnings over this limit, $1 will be withheld from benefits.
For retirees under 65, the earnings limit is $9,600 with $1deductedfor
every $2 of earnings over this limit.
There is no earnings limit on retirees age 70 and over.
Part B monthly premium $43.80 $45.50
Part B deductible $100 $100
Part A hospital deductible (first 60 days) $764 $768
Hospital copayment for days 61-90 $191 $192
Hospital copayment for 60 lifetime reserve days $382 $384
Skilled nursing facility copayment for days 21-100 $95.50 $96
call 1-800-772-1213 or visit a local office.
FOR ACCESS TO CARE IN SERVICE HOPITALS
(The following is quoted from TRICARE NEWS, No. 98-28,
Same subject, dated December 14, 1998)
Priority 1: Active duty service members;
Priority 2: Active duty family members who are enrolled in
TRICARE-Prime;
Priority 3: Retirees, their family members and survivors who are
enrolled in
TRICARE-Prime;
Priority 4: Active duty family members who are NOT enrolled in
TRICARE-Prime
(for the purpose of
determining access
priority, survivors of
military sponsors
who died on
active duty, who are
NOT enrolled in
TRICARE-Prime, are
in this priority
group);
Priority 5: All other eligible persons (including retirees, their
family members and survivors who are NOT enrolled in TRICARE-Prime).
Military members who are not on active duty, but who are
entitled to
care in a service hospital, are in Priority Group 1. Thisincludes
members of the reserve components entitled to medical care
relating
to conditions incurred in the line of duty, and members on the
Temporary Disability Retired List for required periodic medical
examinations.
NATO and other foreign military members family members who are
entitled to care pursuant to an applicable international
agreement are
in Priority Group 2, for the scope of the services specified in
the agreement.
With only one year to go until the year 2000 we encourage our members
to
check into some of the web sites with general information on Y2K such
as Year 2000, US SBA, and
Y2K.
The Defense Commissary Agency (DeCA) has reinstated the annual "Store
Managers" sale to support individual store efforts to generate andgrow
sales and support installation-sponsored activities.
Patrons should check with their local commissary to determine when it
will hold its annual "Store Manager Sale" and take advantage of the
savings.
Disclaimer of Endorsement:
Reference herein to any specific commercial products,
process, or service by trade name, trademark,
manufacturer, or otherwise, does not necessarily
constitute or imply its endorsement, recommendation,
or favoring by VNIS. The views and opinions of
authors expressed herein do not necessarily state
or reflect those of VNIS, and shall not be used for
advertising or product endorsement purposes.
VNIS is not a government agency and is a sole proprietorship,
own and operated by Christian L. Wilson USN/Ret
