Military retirees face rising health-care costs

Capital News Service

WASHINGTON

The Pentagon is proposing an increase in insurance health-care premiums for military retirees and their families to ease federal budget problems, but some veterans’ groups are challenging that saying low payments are justified given the dangerous call-to-duty their members have answered.

An increase in the $230 annual individual premium would be the first in the plan’s 15-year history.

Rick Jones, legislative director for the National Association for Uniformed Services, said those first in line to serve should not be first in line to pay for health-care services.

Known as Tricare Prime, health insurance for military retirees costs individuals $230 and families $460 each year, according to the company’s website. It is available in the United States to all beneficiaries ineligible for Medicare benefits. Enrollees are assigned primary-care managers either at a military treatment facility or from the Tricare network.

The Pentagon seeks to increase Tricare Prime premiums in an effort to rein in costs projected to top-off at $65 billion in less than 10 years. Tricare Prime rates would rise 6.2 percent.

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