TRICARE Update
Your guess is as good as mine on how this will fall out. On 2 May, Military.com reported that the TRICARE increases were moving forward. During the week of 9 May both AFSA and Military.com reported that a House measure would block any increases to TRICARE. This week, 16 May, both AFSA and Military.com are reporting that the House Armed Services Committee is giving the go-ahead on the increases proposed by the Obama administration. If we stand any chance at all, we must contact our elected officials and let them know your vote is tied to their vote on this issue.
This is where we stand at this point; TRICARE Prime will increase by $60/year for Family coverage or $30/year for Individual coverage in FY12. Future increases are will be based on the annual increase in COLA so expect that if we ever see a COLA increase again, a portion will be eroded by the increase in your TRICARE payment. The only positive I can see coming out of this increase is that maybe, just maybe, DoD will get off the TRICARE Increase soapbox for a decade or two. I doubt it, but I still have my hopes this issue dies once we eat the increase.
AFSA is watching this very closely but the organization needs you to contact your elected officials if we stand any chance of killing this effort.
SMSgt (ret) Gary Swanson, Division 89 Trustee