CBO Introduces New Out-of-Pocket Requirements Under Tricare for Life

[Wayne Humphrey]

Currently, Tricare for Life (TFL) pays nearly all medical costs for acute care not covered by Medicare and requires few out-of-pocket fees.

The proposed change would require a copay to cover the first $550 under Medicare and TLF would only cover 50% of the next $4,950.

Further, the report ops to reduce beneficiaries' incentive to switch to [military treatment facilities (MTFs)], this option would require TLF beneficiaries seeking care from MTFs to make copays equal to those in a private office, hospital.

The report states, "the reduced spending for Medicare as well as for TFL because of higher out-of-pocket costs would lead beneficiaries to use somewhat fewer services" (CBO Publication No. 4212, 2011, chp. 2, p. 19). The beginning of the death panels will begin with the military retirees.

Moreover, the report further states, "An advantage of [charging copays at MTFs] is that greater cost sharing would increase TLF beneficiaries' awareness of the cost of health care and promote a corresponding restraint in their use of medical services" (ibid).

I urge all to contact his or her elected representative to thwart this tactic. This equates to a back door Obama care policy. When Obama care fails in the courts, the libs will use this to start affecting all!

 

CBO Publication No. 4212 (2011, March). Reducing the Deficit: Spending and Revenue Options. Retrieved from http://www.cbo.gov/ftpdocs/120xx/doc12085/03-10-ReducingTheDeficit.pdf