We have no Action Items today

Summary of Issues

At Issue 1. we see MCCAIN AMENDMENT BOOSTS PAY. Amendment would give troops full pay raise. The chairman of the Senate Armed Services Committee disagrees with the administration’s pay cap proposal. (See Issue 1 below for the details. GF)

At Issue 2. we see HOUSE AND SENATE DIVIDE ON DEFENSE BILL. Senate finalizing defense bill. Strong differences between the House and Senate bills emerge.. (See Issue 2 below for the details. GF)

At Issue 3. we see SENATORS FILE HUNDREDS OF AMENDMENTS TO DEFENSE BILL. Lawmakers filed hundreds of amendments to must pass piece of legislation. We rolled up our sleeves and dug in to find out how these proposals could affect you. (See Issue 3 below for the details. GF)

At Issue 4. we see MOAA PAYS RESPECTS AT ARLINGTON This Memorial Day, MOAA takes a moment to remember why we celebrate.  (Click on MOAA PAYS RESPECTS AT ARLINGTONhere or above to watch the video. GF)

Collectively We Can and Are Making a Difference

 

FOR ALL, Please feel free to pass these Weekly Legislative Updates on to your group of Veteran Friends –

don’t be concerned with possible duplications – if your friends are as concerned as we are with Veteran issues, they probably won’t mind getting this from two or more friendly sources

 

ISSUES

Issue 1.  MCCAIN AMENDMENT BOOSTS PAY

May 27, 2016

Senate Armed Services Chairman John McCain (R-Ariz.) submitted an amendment to the defense bill to give servicemembers the full 2.1 percent pay raise.

The defense bill being debated in the full Senate currently proposes a 1.6 percent pay raise cap as requested by the administration.

In 2003, Congress tied military pay increases to the Employment Cost Index (ECI) to keep military pay competitive with the private sector. Congress recognized that annually raising active duty pay at the same pace as the private sector is essential to sustaining a quality all-volunteer force.

Although this law is still in effect, lawmakers have been capping active duty pay for the last several years. And, if Congress passes the DoD’s proposed 0.5 percent reduction in pay, the pay gap between the military and the private sector would expand to 3.1 percent.

When military pay raises started being capped in past times of budget constraints, they continued until retention and readiness suffered. This unwise process generated retention crises in the 1970s and the 1990s.

After just four years of pay caps, servicemembers stand to lose several thousand dollars.

In a statement regarding his amendment, McCain said, “We ask a lot of our men and women in uniform, and they never let us down. We must not let them down.”

MOAA appreciates Sen. McCain’s acknowledgement of the importance of a full pay raise. We urge the Senate to adopt this provision in the defense bill.

 

Issue 2.  HOUSE AND SENATE DIVIDE ON DEFENSE BILL

May 27, 2016

Senate lawmakers are close to finalizing their version of the FY17 defense authorization bill.

This year’s bill includes several proposed changes to housing allowances. For new entrants after Jan. 1, 2018, and upon the first PCS after that date for those already serving, basic allowance for housing (BAH) would be calculated using the servicemember’s actual housing cost or the BAH rate, whichever is less. The bill also proposes dividing the normal BAH rate by the number of BAH-eligible occupants, meaning dual military couples or roommates could receive a significantly smaller allowance.

BAH for E-5 and below on sea duty would also be eliminated.

The committee also included proposals to change family leave policies. Servicemembers that are primary caregivers would receive six weeks of leave. Secondary caregivers would receive three weeks. This parental leave would be in addition to six weeks of convalescent leave allowed for a servicemember who gives birth.

Senate lawmakers made several changes to TRICARE. In addition to what MOAA previously reported, the committee included provisions:

• establishing Prime only in areas with Military Treatment Facilities (MTFs);
• changing the name of TRICARE Standard to TRICARE Choice;
• giving the Secretary of Defense the authority to adjust prescription copays after 2025;
• allowing the Secretary of Defense to eliminate copays for telehealth services;
• keeping copays at the FY16 rate for chapter 61 medical retirees and survivors whose sponsors died on active duty;
• authorizing the treatment of veterans and civilians in MTFs as needed to maintain operational skills; and
• directing DoD to create a program to improve quality of care in MTFs.

The bill also makes changes to active duty promotions and pay. Promotion boards would be able to identify up to 20 percent of selectees as “top performers” to go to the top of promotion lists, and the services will be authorized to give continuation pay to eligible servicemembers with eight to 12 years of service.

Additionally, the service secretaries will be able to designate specialties to allow officers to serve up to 40 years.

Finally, the bill reduces tenure on the temporary disability retired list from five years to three years and requires an independent assessment of SBP and the feasibility of commercial alternatives.

See the table below for a comparison of key issues between the House and Senate version of the defense bill:

The Senate plans to vote on the defense bill after the Memorial Day holiday. Afterwards, House and Senate lawmakers will begin their work ironing out their respective differences in conference committee.

Issue 3. SENATORS FILE HUNDREDS OF AMENDMENTS TO DEFENSE BILL

May 27, 2016

The Senate Armed Services Committee sent its version of the defense bill to the full Senate for consideration. In just a few days, hundreds of amendments have been introduced.

The following provides a summary of some of the amendments regarding pay and benefits:

Military Pay

• Senators John McCain (R-Ariz.) and Marco Rubio (R-Fla.) submitted separate amendments authorizing a 2.1 percent pay raise for active duty personnel. Currently, the Senate’s version of the defense bill calls for only a 1.6 percent pay raise, half a percentage point below private sector wage growth.
• Senators Lisa Murkowski (R-Alaska) and Susan Collins (R-Maine) offered amendments eliminating proposed reductions in housing allowances.

Concurrent Receipt

• Sen. Harry Reid (D-Nev.) offered a series of amendments on concurrent receipt. The amendments all extend concurrent receipt to disabled retirees and provide lawmakers several options for how to help thousands of retirees suffering from the deduction of military retired pay from VA disability compensation.

Commissary

• Sen. Jim Inhofe (R-Okla) filed an amendment protecting commissaries. His amendment would prevent attempts to privatize commissaries until a congressionally-mandated study is completed.

Health Care

• Sen. James Lankford (R-Okla.) introduced an amendment requiring a study on how the Department of Veterans Affairs and DoD can align their pharmacy prescription buying programs to increase their purchasing power and to lower costs.
• Sen. Deb Fischer (R-Neb.) filed an amendment ensuring that beneficiaries who lose services through changes to MTF health care programs are able to receive the same care through the purchased care network of the TRICARE program.

Spouse Employment

• Sen. Bob Casey (D-Penn.) championed an amendment allowing reimbursement of up to $500 for military spouse costs associated with re-licensure and re-certification after PCS to a new state.

The full Senate will consider the amendments when it returns from the Memorial Day break.

 

 

                              That’s it for today- Thanks for your continuing help!

We have 2 Action Items today at Issues 1 & 2  below

 

 

Summary of Issues

 

First:  (Click on: MOAA PRESIDENT ON SENATE-PROPOSED FEE AND BENEFIT CHANGES 

to watch a 2:37 minute video on these issues. GF)

 

At Issue 1. we see SENATE PANEL RAISES FEES AND CAPS PAY, BUT HELPS SURVIVORS. Committee accepts most administration proposals to hike health care fees. Urge the Senate to support key amendments that protect and improve military benefits. (See Issue 1 below for the details and to send a message to our Senators. GF)

At Issue 2. we see. ADDING INSULT TO (SEVERE) INJURY. Why are we charging the severely disabled for what happened to them? In his May As I See It column, MOAA Director of Government Relations Col. Steve Strobridge, USAF (Ret), sounds off on treatment of severely disabled troops. (See Issue 2 below for the details and to send messages to our Legislators. GF)

At Issue 3. we see WILL HOUSE DEFENSE BILL CHANGES AFFECT YOU?  House moves forward on defense bill.  181 Amendments Affect Women, Parents, Children, Reserves, Survivors.(See Issue 3 below for the details. GF)

Lastly:  We see. COLA CONTINUES TO CLIMB Is this the light at the end of the no-COLA tunnel?. Follow the trends on MOAA’s COLA Watch.  (Click on COLA CONTINUES TO CLIMB here or above and scroll down to COLA WATCH to see the details. GF)

Collectively We Can and Are Making a Difference

 

FOR ALL, Please feel free to pass these Weekly Legislative Updates on to your group of Veteran Friends –

don’t be concerned with possible duplications – if your friends are as concerned as we are with Veteran issues, they probably won’t mind getting this from two or more friendly sources

 

ISSUES

Issue 1.  SENATE PANEL RAISES FEES AND CAPS PAY, BUT HELPS SURVIVORS

May 20, 2016

The Senate Armed Services Committee approved its version of the FY 2017 Defense Authorization Bill (S. 2943), and it’s considerably different from the one approved by House lawmakers on a range of issues.

On non-healthcare issues, the bill would:

• approve force levels recommended in the president’s budget rather than increases like the House bill recommended;
• make the Special Survivor Indemnity Allowance permanent at the $310 monthly rate;
• provide a 1.6 percent military pay raise (vs. the 2.1 percent House proposal);
• enable the family to either move early or remain at their current duty station for up to six months while their servicemember begins a new assignment to increase stability under certain circumstances;
• require a test of privatizing military commissaries at five locations;
• impose a 25 percent cut in 4-star billets and another 25 percent cut from other flag-officer billets; and
• require women to register for the draft.

For TRICARE, the Senate bill makes no changes to TRICARE For Life.

But it would adopt most of the DoD-proposed fee increases for other beneficiaries, including:

• requiring a new annual enrollment fee for TRICARE Standard that would start at $150/$300 (single/family) as of Jan. 1, 2018, and rise to $450/$900 over the next five years;
• raising the TRICARE Prime annual enrollment fee 24 percent to $350/$700 (single/family);
• raising the annual cap on out-of-pocket expenses to $1,500 for currently serving families and $4,000 for retired families (vs. current $1,000/$3,000);
• giving DoD discretion to implement a pilot program authorizing Guard and Reserve members to elect coverage under the auspices of the federal employees health insurance program;
• eliminating TRICARE Standard deductibles for care from DoD network providers, but doubling the deductible to $300/$600 (single/family) for out-of-network care;
• changing TRICARE Standard co-pays for various provider visits to a flat fee vs. a percentage of TRICARE-approved charges;
• adjusting annual enrollment fees by the same percentage as the retired pay COLA;
• adjusting co-pays and other fees by the Consumer Price Index for Health Care Services established by the Bureau of Labor Statistics;
• roughly doubling pharmacy copays over a 9-year period, including raising the mail-order copay for generic drugs from the current zero to $11, effective in 2020; and
• authorizing DoD to collect a “no-show” fee for missed appointments at military medical facilities.

Like the House-passed bill, the Senate bill would move most responsibilities for military health care programs from the Army, Navy, and Air Force to the Defense Health Agency. This would place military medical facilities, healthcare delivery, and personnel and budget responsibilities directly under DoD for unified planning and execution.

The bill also includes a wide range of provisions aimed at improving access and quality of care, including:

• eliminating referral requirements under TRICARE Prime for urgent and specialty care;
• requiring a single appointment system for all military medical facilities;
• expanding telehealth capabilities;
• requiring a DoD plan to improve pediatric care;
• allowing military beneficiaries to enroll in federal civilian dental/vision plans; and
• requiring new accountability standards for military healthcare leaders at all levels.

MOAA appreciates and supports the Senate Armed Services Committee’s efforts to directly address the well-documented access, quality, and efficiency problems of the military health system.

But we believe the proposed beneficiary fee increases are significantly too high and fail to adequately consider the very high non-cash premiums career servicemembers and families are required to pay up-front through decades of service and sacrifice.

Senate leaders plan to bring the defense bill up for full Senate consideration as early as next week.

MOAA has been working with several senators to sponsor important amendments to the bill to protect commissaries, help disabled retirees, and increase the military pay raise.

Please act now to send your senators this MOAA-suggested message.

(Click on MOAA-suggested message here  or above, or go to the “Here is the Process” section at the end of this Email to send messages to our Senators. GF)

 

Issue 2.  ADDING INSULT TO (SEVERE) INJURY

By: Col. Steve Strobridge, USAF (Ret)Director, Government Relations Click to read about the author.About the Author

Over the past decade-plus of war, we’ve heard time after time about the difficulties severely wounded, ill, and injured servicemembers encounter across a variety of fronts.

There seems to be a never-ending supply of stories about insensitive people and unresponsive bureaucracies making life even tougher for those whose military service already cost them significantly in terms of quality of life.

The good news is well-meaning people at all levels have been making sincere efforts to improve the situation.

Many aren’t making progress as fast as we would hope, and many problems remain to be overcome. But in most cases, active efforts are under way to address the most significant administrative problems.

Two statutory issues, in particular, are proving more problematic.

The first involves the deduction of VA disability compensation from service-earned military retired pay.

Congress has provided some significant relief on that front, prioritizing the most severely disabled and the combat-disabled.

MOAA believes strongly in the principle that no disabled retiree, regardless of disability percentage, should have to fund his or her own disability compensation by forfeiting an equal amount of service-earned retired pay.

But we find it particularly inequitable one group of severely disabled retirees was excluded from any relief: those who were medically retired for noncombat disabilities with less than 20 years of service.

Under current law, a 20-year retiree with a 10-percent combat-related disability (rightly) suffers no retired-pay offset.

But someone who suffers a noncombat service-caused injury that leaves him a 100-percent disabled quadriplegic and is medically retired with two to 19 years’ service must forfeit most or all of his military retired pay under the current VA offset law.

That’s plain wrong. Sen. Harry Reid (D-Nev.) will offer an amendment to the FY 2017 Defense Authorization Bill to correct that when the bill comes to the Senate floor, with MOAA’s strong support.

The second statutory inequity stems from the requirement for severely disabled military retirees (including many in their 20s) to enroll in Medicare and pay Medicare Part B premiums of $105 a month.

Had these members not had the misfortune of becoming 100-percent disabled in service, the military would have fully covered their health care until retirement, and they wouldn’t have had to enroll in Medicare until age 65.

MOAA believes 100-percent service-disabled retirees should be exempted from paying Medicare enrollment fees until age 65 or DoD should provide them an allowance to offset the fee.

Both options have proven problematic, mainly for funding reasons.

MOAA understands funding for defense is not unlimited.

What we don’t understand is, of all the things DoD spends money on, why preventing 100-percent disabled retirees and military widows (read “Time to End the Military Widows Tax”) from having to pay extra for having suffered those conditions doesn’t make the cut.

(Click on “Time to End the Military Widows Tax” here or above to read the article, and at the end click on MOAA-suggested message and send a message to our Legislators, GF)

 

Issue 3. WILL HOUSE DEFENSE BILL CHANGES AFFECT YOU?

May 20, 2016

On May 18, the full House of Representatives passed its version of the annual defense authorization bill (H.R. 4909) by a vote of 277-147, authorizing $602 billion in defense spending for FY 2017.

The House bill includes force increases for all services, protects currently serving and retired personnel from most TRICARE fee increases, extends the Special Survivor Indemnity Allowance for one year, and authorizes a 2.1 percent pay raise.

But final passage took the House two days to wade through 181 proposed amendments. Some of those adopted in the final bill:

• deleted a provision requiring women to register for the draft, and required a study of selective service registration requirements instead;
• allow both servicemembers of a dual-military couple to split 36 days of parental leave according to family needs when they adopt a child;
• restore TRICARE coverage for children with autism to the rates that existed before DoD reduced them on April 1;
• establish an electronic tour calculator Selected Reserve members can use to track aggregated early retirement credit earned over the course of multiple call-ups;
• eliminate the two-year limit on continued noncompetitive appointment of military spouses to civil service positions when they accompany their sponsor on service-directed moves; and
• require a DoD report to Congress on survivor income losses due to deduction of VA survivor benefits from Survivor Benefit Plan annuities

 

Here is the Process:  I recommend that you review all of the steps below and then you might want to copy this process by high lighting all of the steps below.  Then click on “File” at the top of your screen, select “Print“, then click on “Selection” at the next display and then hit “Print“; or print the selected portion as you usually do this kind of task.

 

1. Click here onhttp://capwiz.com/moaa/issues/ or copy and paste it in your browser to put you at the  “Legislative Action Center” screen.
2. Scroll downunder “Current Action Alerts” and below “Congress” click on: Support Key Defense Bill Amendments.
3. 3.If applicable, at the next screen scroll down to the TAKE ACTION NOW! lineand enter or confirm your Zip code and /or hit “Go!”
4. 4. Orat that next screen under“COMPOSE MESSAGE” leave the “Message Recipients Delivery Method” as “Email” at your discretion, and then scroll down to “Issue Area” and select an appropriate issue; e.g. ‘Veteran affairs’
5. Scroll down to the  “Editable text” areaand edit/modify the text of the message if desired,
6. Insert “Your Closing” (I show ‘Respectfully), and “Your Name” and fill in the rest of the mandatory {asterisked} SENDER INFORMATION.
7. Fill in the “Guest Type“, “Service“, “Rank“, “Component“, and “Status” if you want that information to show in your message (recommended).  You may be prompted to include a phone numberif you try to send the message without entering your phone number. Don’t be concerned about entering a phone number. I haven’t  received return calls except on rare occasions to thank me for my interest in a particular piece of Legislation, at which time you can comment (pro or con) to the staff member on how the Senator stands on the issue.
8. Check “Remember Me” (recommended) if you don’t want to have to re-enter all of your Sender Information the next time you send a message. You can always change your information or uncheck ‘Remember Me’ anytime in the future.
9. Hit “Send Message”
10. If Printed Letter was selected at Step 4 above, at the screen after hitting “Send Message” leave “Plain Paper Style” and “Word Processor (RTF)” checked unless you have another preference. Then left click on “Print Letter(s)” at the end of the “PRINT LETTER” screen. At the File Download” alert that appears next, click on “Open”. You can then edit and print or save the letter for editing, printing, signing and mailing.

 

 

—————————————————————————————————————————————

That’s it for today- Thanks for your continuing help!

We have 1 Action Item today at Issues 1  below

 

 

Summary of Issues

At Issue 1. we see A SPECIAL MESSAGE FROM MOAA’S PRESIDENT & CEO. Lt Gen Dan Atkins, USAF (Ret) has a personal favor to ask of you. After viewing this short video, take action by clicking here. (Click on A SPECIAL MESSAGE FROM MOAA’S PRESIDENT & CEO here or above to watch a 2:31 minute video rationalizing why we should again send this special message to our Legislators, and then send the message to our Legislators, or go to Here is the Process at the end of this Email to send your  message. GF)

At Issue 2. we see SENATE PANEL PROPOSES HEALTH CARE OVERHAUL. Military people deserve better care for higher fees, says committee chair. The Senate’s defense bill also includes Pentagon proposals for reduced forces and caps military pay. (See Issue 2 below for the details. GF)

At Issue 3. we see FORMER SPOUSE SBP COVERAGE OPEN SEASON  Beneficiary changes allowed in some circumstances. The window for action to reassign Survivor Benefit Plan coverage from a deceased former spouse to a current spouse is limited for some. (See Issue 3 below for the details. GF
)  

At Issue 4. we see A MOAA HAIL AND FAREWELL. MOAA salutes veteran advocacy champion. The dedication and hard work of Col. Bob Norton, USAR (Ret) led to many legislative victories. (Click on A MOAA HAIL AND FAREWELL here or above to see the details. GF

Collectively We Can and Are Making a Difference

 

FOR ALL, Please feel free to pass these Weekly Legislative Updates on to your group of Veteran Friends –

don’t be concerned with possible duplications – if your friends are as concerned as we are with Veteran issues, they probably won’t mind getting this from two or more friendly sources

 

ISSUES

   (See above for Issues 1 and 4)

 

Issue 2.  SENATE PANEL PROPOSES HEALTH CARE OVERHAUL

May 13, 2016

On May 11, the House Defense Appropriations Subcommittee approved its version of the FY17 Defense Appropriations Bill.

Lawmakers disregarded the Pentagon’s requested 1.6 percent military pay raise and significant force cuts. Instead, the subcommittee funded a full 2.1 percent pay raise and provided funding for significant force increases as recommended by their House Armed Services Committee colleagues.

The budget also included a provision specifying funding for shipment of fresh produce to commissaries in the Pacific and Far East, in reaction to publicity about skyrocketing produce prices in Guam.

The subcommittee paid for the increases to the basic budget from special war accounts not subject to budget cap limits.

The administration and some in Congress oppose this controversial tactic, as it would leave only about six months of funding in the wartime account.

House leaders believe this is the best way to improve immediate readiness, and that whoever the new president is will be able to request additional funding to meet wartime needs for the remainder of next year without requiring an exception to budget caps.

 

Issue 3. FORMER SPOUSE SBP COVERAGE OPEN SEASON

 

May 13, 2016

A change in last year’s Defense Authorization Act lets military retirees’ SBP coverage for a former spouse transfer to a new spouse if the former spouse dies.

The law allows a one-year window after remarriage to cover a new spouse. For people remarried more than a year ago, the law gives them until Nov. 25, 2016 to switch SBP coverage to a current spouse.

This open season period applies ONLY to members who:

• Had SBP coverage for a former spouse before Nov. 25, 2015, and
• Whose former spouse died before Nov. 25, 2015, and
• Who subsequently remarried a new spouse on or before Nov. 25, 2015.

The law change affects reserve component retirees who purchased Reserve Component SBP (RCSBP) as well.

The former spouse SBP open season coverage does not apply if SBP coverage was discontinued for any reason other than the death of the covered former spouse.

Retired members whose SBP-covered former spouse has died and who remarry after Nov. 25, 2015 can apply to DFAS, provided they apply within one year of remarriage.

You can read the specific DFAS guidance concerning eligibility and required documentation here.

(Click on here  above or here to see the document. GF)

 

Here is the Process:  I recommend that you review all of the steps below and then you might want to copy this process by high lighting all of the steps below.  Then click on “File” at the top of your screen, select “Print“, then click on “Selection” at the next display and then hit “Print“; or print the selected portion as you usually do this kind of task.

 

1. Click here onhttp://capwiz.com/moaa/issues/  or copy and paste it in your browser to put you at the  “Legislative Action Center” screen.
2. Scroll downunder “Current Action Alerts” and below “Congress” click on: Military Survivors Need Your Support .
3. 3.If applicable, at the next screen scroll down to the TAKE ACTION NOW! lineand enter or confirm your Zip code and /or hit “Go!”
4. 4. Orat that next screen under“COMPOSE MESSAGE” leave the “Message Recipients Delivery Method” as “Email” at your discretion, and then scroll down to “Issue Area” and select an appropriate issue; e.g. ‘Veteran affairs’
5. Scroll down to the  “Editable text” areaand edit/modify the text of the message if desired,
6. Insert “Your Closing” (I show ‘Respectfully), and “Your Name” and fill in the rest of the mandatory {asterisked} SENDER INFORMATION.
7. Fill in the “Guest Type“, “Service“, “Rank“, “Component“, and “Status” if you want that information to show in your message (recommended).  You may be prompted to include a phone numberif you try to send the message without entering your phone number. Don’t be concerned about entering a phone number. I haven’t  received return calls except on rare occasions to thank me for my interest in a particular piece of Legislation, at which time you can comment (pro or con) to the staff member on how the Senator stands on the issue.
8. Check “Remember Me” (recommended) if you don’t want to have to re-enter all of your Sender Information the next time you send a message. You can always change your information or uncheck ‘Remember Me’ anytime in the future.
9. Hit “Send Message”
10. If Printed Letter was selected at Step 4 above, at the screen after hitting “Send Message” leave “Plain Paper Style” and “Word Processor (RTF)” checked unless you have another preference. Then left click on “Print Letter(s)” at the end of the “PRINT LETTER” screen. At the File Download” alert that appears next, click on “Open”. You can then edit and print or save the letter for editing, printing, signing and mailing.

 

 

—————————————————————————————————————————————

That’s it for today- Thanks for your continuing help!

 

 

 

 

 

We have 2 Action Items today at Issues 1 and 2 below

 

 

Summary of Issues

At Issue 1. we see ACT NOW TO HELP MILITARY SURVIVORS . Without action, survivors stand to lose thousands. Urge congressional leaders to find important funding for military widows. (See Issue 1 below for the details and to send messages to our Legislators. GF)

At Issue 2. we see TEN THINGS YOU NEED TO KNOW ABOUT THE DEFENSE BILL Ten important items legislators tucked into “must pass” bill. House Armed Services Committee members included a number of amendments in last week’s defense bill. We take a look at some of the ones that will affect you an d your family. (See Issue 2 below for the details and to send messages to our Legislators. GF)

At Issue 3. we see MOAA ANSWERS YOUR TOP QUESTIONS. What’s going on with concurrent receipt and the commissary? MOAA’s Member Service Center takes a look at frequently asked member questions. If you were forwarded this email, please click here to join MOAA and receive further communications. (See Issue 3 below for the details. GF)  

Collectively We Can and Are Making a Difference

 

FOR ALL, Please feel free to pass these Weekly Legislative Updates on to your group of Veteran Friends –

don’t be concerned with possible duplications – if your friends are as concerned as we are with Veteran issues, they probably won’t mind getting this from two or more friendly sources

 

ISSUES

 

Issue 1. ACT NOW TO HELP MILITARY SURVIVORS 

May 6, 2016

Current law imposes a severe financial penalty of up to $15,000 a year on the surviving spouse of an active duty or retired member who dies of a service-caused condition. That’s because the VA Dependency and Indemnity Compensation (DIC) payable for the service-caused death is deducted from their servicemember-purchased Survivor Benefit Plan (SBP) annuity. This is known as the “widows tax.”

Recognizing the inequity, Congress authorized a Special Survivor Indemnity Allowance (SSIA) in 2008 as partial recompense for the SBP-DIC offset. Then-House Armed Service Committee Chairman Ike Skelton (D-Mo.), expressed the intent to continue increasing SSIA and ultimately phase out the widows tax.

SSIA is currently $275 per month and will increase to $310 per month next year. But authority to pay it expires October 1, 2017. So unless Congress acts this year, survivors will lose over $3,700 per year.

The House Armed Services Committee found only enough mandatory spending offsets to extend the SSIA one more year in the FY17 Defense Authorization Bill. But military widows deserve more substantive relief.

You can help protect these survivors by sending your legislators a MOAA-suggested message urging House and Senate leaders to identify the necessary savings offsets to eliminate or phase out the widows tax as both chambers address the defense bill later this month. 

(Click on  MOAA-suggested message here or above, or go to the “Here is the Process” section at the end of this Email to send your messages. GF)

 

Issue 2. TEN THINGS YOU NEED TO KNOW ABOUT THE DEFENSE BILL

 

May 6, 2016

For 55 years, the annual defense authorization bill has been passed by Congress and signed into law.

The bill is a massive, 700-plus page document outlining a number of things from force levels for each service to how much you’ll pay for health care.

But as it goes through the amendment process, legislators tuck dozens of diverse requirements into the bill.

Here are ten things you need to know about amendments added to the defense bill during the House Armed Services Committee’s deliberation process:

1. Troubled by the Pentagon’s acknowledgement that its proposed TRICARE network would only cover 85 percent of the beneficiary population committee chair Rep. Mac Thornberry (R-Tex.) and Military Personnel Subcommittee chair Joe Heck (R-Nev.) put a provision in the bill to increase the coverage to 90 percent. But the Congressional Budget Office advised this change would exceed budget limits. So the chairmen’s proposed increase had to be withdrawn.
2. Rep. Seth Moulton (D-Mass.) included an amendment requiring the Secretary of Defense to help identify which members of the military are at high risk of suicide to aid in intervention efforts.
3. Rep. Marc Veasey (D-Texas) asked for a report on providing acupuncture and chiropractic care for TRICARE retirees. This has been a longstanding MOAA legislative goal.
4. Rep. Randy Forbes (R-Va.) called for the creation of a pilot program for TRICARE beneficiaries to get prescription maintenance medications at retail pharmacies. Drug manufacturers would pay rebates to DoD for medications, ensuring the government pays the lowest available price.

Currently, beneficiaries must use mail-order or visit a MTF to receive non-generic maintenance medications.

While this provision would give beneficiaries another option for service, there is nothing in the amendment requiring DoD or pharmacies to pass on savings to beneficiaries.

5. Rep. Brad Ashford’s (D-Neb.) would direct DoD to provide Congress a report on the feasibility of authorizing commissary and exchange access for disabled veterans who received the Purple Heart.
6. Rep. Duncan Hunter (R-Calif.) introduced – then subsequently voted against – his own amendment requiring women, as well as men, to register for the draft. The unusual move was done as a part of a broader questioning of DoD’s decision to open all combat positions to female servicemembers. The amendment did pass.

Earlier this year MOAA conducted an informational survey on the issue and found that, while many survey respondents were uncomfortable with female servicemembers serving in combat positions, most said – if the country was already heading in that direction – it would be consistent to have women sign up for the draft.

7. Rep. Susan Davis (D-Calif.) secured an amendment providing 14 days of parental leave for a servicemember whose civilian spouse gives birth.
8. Reps. Niki Tsongas (D-Mass.) and Mike Turner (R-Ohio) both introduced amendments to improve training for military sexual trauma.
9. Rep. Rich Nugent’s (R-Fla.) amendment specifies National Guard dual status technicians (whose Guard positions also entail full-time federal civilian jobs) from being furloughed in the event of a government shutdown.
10. Rep. Tim Walz’s (D-Minn.) amendment would require additional time before DoD could implement proposed efficiency initiatives (e.g., variable pricing and store brands) for the commissary system, out of concern for potential unintended consequences. The amendment failed on a voice vote after Military Personnel Subcommittee chair Heck articulated the various safeguards already included in the bill.

The Senate Armed Services Committee takes up its version of the annual defense bill next week, and the full House is expected to take action later this month (which is why we need your action now.)

(Click on your action now here or above, or go to the “Here is the Process” section at the end of this Email to send your messages. GF)

Issue 3. MOAA ANSWERS YOUR TOP QUESTIONS

May 6, 2016

Every week MOAA’s Member Service Center answers hundreds of emails and phone calls. Here are answers to a few of the most common legislative related questions recently asked:

1. If there are newly imposed TRICARE for Life (TFL) fees will I be affected?

DoD’s FY17 budget proposed annual enrollment fees that would eventually reach 2 percent of retired pay for those who become Medicare-eligible on or after Jan. 1, 2017.

Under its proposal, beneficiaries already enrolled in Medicare on Jan. 1, 2017 would be exempted from the new fee. Chapter 61 (military disability) retirees and survivors of servicemembers who died on active duty also would be exempt from the new fee.

The House Armed Services Committee (HASC) rejected the proposed TFL fees in its version of the FY17 Defense Authorization Act. The Senate Armed Services Committee (SASC) is scheduled to take up its version of the bill next week, and MOAA hopes the SASC will follow the HASC in resisting additional TFL costs.

1. Wasn’t I promised free health care for life?

There is widespread discussion about the “free” part of that promise. MOAA believes many servicemembers were promised free health care for life by supervisors, retention officers, or NCOs based on the widespread availability of military hospitals and clinics across the country in the past.

In the late 1960’s, Congress changed the law to specify that retirees would be eligible for care “on a space-available basis” in military medical facilities. Still, MOAA has documented that some service retention brochures continued to tout “lifetime health care” as a career benefit long after that.

Regardless of whether the word “free” was explicitly used, MOAA believes that was how most members interpreted the lifetime health care promise – because their only experience as active duty members was with free care in military facilities.

Crunch time really came in 1996, when TRICARE was implemented at the same time DoD downsized and eliminated hundreds of military hospitals and clinics, and specified that care would be allocated by priority for (1) currently serving members and families, (2) retirees and family members under age 65 and (3) retirees and families over 65.

As a practical matter, that radically changed the availability of military health care and shut virtually all of the over-65s out of the military health care system. The resulting outcry over broken commitments led Congress to enact TRICARE For Life (TFL) as a supplement to Medicare in 2001. So current law does, in fact, authorize lifetime health coverage for career servicemembers and their families and survivors.

Regardless of what people believe they were promised (or, in many cases, actually were promised), it has been a long time since military people have been exempt from paying at least something for health care. Servicemembers and family members over 65 have been paying Medicare premiums since the 1960s. Even before TRICARE was implemented, care not provided in military facilities was covered by CHAMPUS, which entailed a deductible and 25 percent cost share.

So the days of hoping for free health care are gone. MOAA remains committed to resisting disproportional fee increases, and ensuring whatever fees are charged take appropriate account of the in-kind premiums career servicemembers and families paid “up-front” through decades of service and sacrifice.

MOAA will continue to oppose any TFL fees beyond the Medicare Part B premium.

1. What is going on with the commissary? Is privatization coming?

Last year, instead of providing a plan to privatize the commissary, Congress wrote a provision into the defense bill requiring the Secretary of Defense to submit a report to achieve budget-neutrality for the commissary and exchange benefits no later than March 1, 2016. After the report, DoD was to begin pilot programs to achieve that goal – while also maintaining current levels of patron savings and satisfaction and product quality. The report is yet to be released.

MOAA and The Military Coalition supported these provisions, in full knowledge that making the program budget-neutral while still achieving the same levels of patron savings and satisfaction and product quality is functionally impossible.

However, the House version of the FY17 defense bill included a provision allowing DoD to implement variable pricing strategies and “house brand” products at commissaries nationwide – while still maintaining requirements to preserve current levels of patron savings and satisfaction. If this provision is enacted, commissaries will be able to use variable pricing to modify product prices, up or down, for up to five years (or more if it works to reduce requirements for tax dollar support).

Although the proposed provision still requires DoD to meet benchmarks for product quality and customer savings and satisfaction, variable pricing could change the way commissaries deliver those savings either within a market basket or by locality.

MOAA will continue to urge DoD and Congress to find efficiencies without reducing the value of this important benefit.

1. What is MOAA’s position on privatizing the VA?

MOAA believes the VA system definitely needs improvements, but we disagree with those who would phase it out and move all veterans’ care to the private sector. The Veterans Health Administration (VHA) is a system with a unique and comprehensive mission, and is unlike any other health system in America today. Privatizing the VA would eliminate some of the best aspects of VA care, such as spinal and polytrauma care.

That said, the system is in need of immediate attention and reform. Part of that reform is ensuring qualifying veterans are able to access private sector care if they can’t get timely care in VA facilities.

MOAA has joined with several other veterans groups to urge the Commission on Care, a congressional commission tasked with strategically examining how to best organize the VHA for the next generation of veterans, to consider serious reforms rather than a total overhaul.

1. Is concurrent receipt still a priority for MOAA?

Definitely. MOAA continues to support full concurrent receipt of both military retired pay and VA disability pay-regardless of the percentage of disability. This issue remains one of MOAA’s key legislative priorities, and our goal of full elimination of the offset is specified in MOAA’s Resolutions, under Resolution No. 6-Career Force Compensation and Retirement System.

Click on MOAA’s Resolutions here or above to see the details. GF)

There are currently three MOAA-supported bills on this issue.

Sen. Harry Reid (D-Nev.) introduced the Retired Pay Restoration Act (S. 271). This bill would permit retired members of the Armed Forces who have a service-connected disability rated less than 50 percent to receive full concurrent receipt of both retired pay and veterans’ disability compensation, including Chapter 61 disability retirees with less than 20 years of service. The House companion to this bill is H.R. 333, introduced by Rep. Sanford Bishop (D-Ga.).

Another MOAA-supported bill regarding concurrent receipt is H.R. 303, introduced by Rep. Gus Bilirakis (R-Fla.). This bill would authorize full concurrent receipt for retirees with regular or Guard/Reserve retirements, regardless of disability rating.

Members are able to see up to date bill status information and send letters of support through MOAA’s key bills webpage.

Click on  MOAA’s key bills webpage here or above to see the details. GF)

MOAA is committed to advocating for concurrent receipt until the offset is eliminated for all disabled retirees. We believe strongly in the principle that career military members earn their retired pay by service alone, and those unfortunate enough to suffer a service-caused disability in the process should have any VA disability compensation added to, not subtracted from, their service-earned retired pay.

The main challenge, as it is with so many of our legislative goals, is funding. Under congressional rules, the only way the Armed Services Committees can propose such fixes is by identifying equal spending cuts in other programs in their purview. That’s why it’s been so difficult winning further progress.

In all likelihood, progress will come as it has in the past – in increments rather than in one big change.

In that regard, MOAA’s top concurrent receipt priority is providing relief for severely disabled medical retirees with less than 20 years of service. Under current law, a 100 percent (non-combat) disabled medical retiree with 19 years of service still loses most or all of his retired pay to the disability offset.

We’re convinced the offset will be fully eliminated for all disabled retirees at some point. But the current budget environment poses a huge obstacle for the short term.

 

Here is the Process:  I recommend that you review all of the steps below and then you might want to copy this process by high lighting all of the steps below.  Then click on “File” at the top of your screen, select “Print“, then click on “Selection” at the next display and then hit “Print“; or print the selected portion as you usually do this kind of task.

 

1. Click here onhttp://capwiz.com/moaa/issues/ or copy and paste it in your browser to put you at the  “Legislative Action Center” screen.
2. Scroll downunder “Current Action Alerts” and below “Congress” click on Military Survivors Need Your Support the first time through thid process, and click on Act Now to Block Harmful DoD Budget Proposals the second time through this process.
3. 3.If applicable, at the next screen scroll down to the TAKE ACTION NOW! lineand enter or confirm your Zip code and /or hit “Go!”
4. 4. Orat that next screen under“COMPOSE MESSAGE” leave the “Message Recipients Delivery Method” as “Email” at your discretion, and then scroll down to “Issue Area” and select an appropriate issue; e.g. ‘Veteran affairs’
5. Scroll down to the  “Editable text” areaand edit/modify the text of the message if desired,
6. Insert “Your Closing” (I show ‘Respectfully), and “Your Name” and fill in the rest of the mandatory {asterisked} SENDER INFORMATION.
7. Fill in the “Guest Type“, “Service“, “Rank“, “Component“, and “Status” if you want that information to show in your message (recommended).  You may be prompted to include a phone numberif you try to send the message without entering your phone number. Don’t be concerned about entering a phone number. I haven’t  received return calls except on rare occasions to thank me for my interest in a particular piece of Legislation, at which time you can comment (pro or con) to the staff member on how the Senator stands on the issue.
8. Check “Remember Me” (recommended) if you don’t want to have to re-enter all of your Sender Information the next time you send a message. You can always change your information or uncheck ‘Remember Me’ anytime in the future.
9. Hit “Send Message”
10. If Printed Letter was selected at Step 4 above, at the screen after hitting “Send Message” leave “Plain Paper Style” and “Word Processor (RTF)” checked unless you have another preference. Then left click on “Print Letter(s)” at the end of the “PRINT LETTER” screen. At the File Download” alert that appears next, click on “Open”. You can then edit and print or save the letter for editing, printing, signing and mailing.
11. Return to Step 2above  and repeat this process for the  second action alert: Act Now to Block Harmful DoD Budget Proposals or try clicking on it here..

 

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That’s it for today- Thanks for your help!