Gates Seeking to Contain Military Health Costs

Timothy
Posting #2
topic: Health
title: Gates Seeking to Contain Military Health Costs
writer: Elisabeth Bumiller and Thom Shanker
publication name: New York Times
publication date: 11/28/10
length: 1300 words

http://www.nytimes.com/2010/11/29/us/29tricare.html?ref=health

In an effort to cut down on Pentagon spending, defense secretary Robert M. Gates is considering increasing the fee for Tricare. Tricare is a health care program that provides a lifetime of health care to those who have worked for the military at a much lower cost than other health care programs. As the cost of health care continues to rise, the Pentagon is finding it more and more difficult to maintain the low cost of Tricare. The total cost of health care for the Pentagon is around $50 billion; ten years ago the cost was around $19 billion. However, the cost of Tricare has remained the same since 1995. The rising costs of health care forces cuts to be made on things like new weapons and schools on military bases. Todd Harrison, a senior in defense budget studies, say that it could eventually prevent the US from upholding a sufficiently sized military. Many veterans and military officers' lobbies have responded angrily to the idea. They say that they have risked their lives in combat for the country, and should not "be the first in line to give [up] some more". Many retirees, especially the disabled, rely on the Tricare system for support, and raising the fee would be a significant financial burden for them. Previous efforts to raise the Tricare fee have been shot down by Congress, because they did not want to be seen as creating problems for the military or veterans.
Especially in the current economic situation of the US, making cutbacks are a necessity. Increasing Tricare fees would relieve the already stressed budget of the Pentagon. The effects of such an increase are worrisome as well. Many those who have served in the military have overwhelmingly opposed this change, having already served this country in combat. Gates has several more weeks to decide on whether or not to go with this plan so that the Pentagon can meet the deadline to submit its 2012 spending plans to the White House.