Backtalk: Undue burden

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Undue burden
By Ralf Zimmermann

In a report to Congress on Dec. 20, a health care task force co-chaired by Air Force Gen. John D.W. Corley and economist Gail R. Wilensky unleashed demands for drastic Tricare fee increases for military retirees. Those recommendations are included in the 2009 budget proposal that the Bush administration has delivered to Congress.

The most dramatic increases would take the annual Tricare Prime enrollment fee for families of retirees earning $40,000 or more a year from the current $460 to as much as $1,750 by 2012.

Among the noble and patriotic justifications of the task force’s recommendations was this: “fairness to the American taxpayer.”

Against the backdrop of countless acts of waste, fraud and abuse by Congress, government agencies and contractors, it is astounding that this is the way the administration chooses to demonstrate fairness to taxpayers.

Even if you accept the patriotic garnish about necessary financial sacrifices for the war on terrorism, you have to wonder if there really is a shortage of funds for an adequate military retiree and veterans health care system. Have the politicians and panel members forgotten about Halliburton’s overcharges for Hurricane Katrina and Iraq, the waste in the countless Iraq reconstruction programs and the recall of military equipment that doesn’t work as advertised?


Read the rest of article at: http://www.marinecorpstimes.com/community/opinion/marine_backtalk_tricare_031008/