Rep. brings Tricare experience to Hill

[unhappycamper]

Rep. brings Tricare experience to Hill
By Rick Maze - Staff writer
Posted : Monday Feb 23, 2009 10:32:23 EST

A freshman lawmaker just assigned to the House Armed Services military personnel and readiness subcommittees hopes to use his experience as a military doctor to help shape legislation.

Rep. John Fleming, R-La., elected in December after Hurricane Gustav delayed voting, represents Louisiana’s fourth congressional district, which includes Fort Polk and Barksdale Air Force Base.

A family physician in Minden, La., for more than 25 years and the author of a book about substance abuse, Fleming used a Navy scholarship he received in 1972 to help pay for medical school. His Navy career began as a family doctor at Camp Pendleton, Calif., treating the families of Marines. His service included stops in Long Beach, Calif., where he worked on an alcohol and drug treatment program, and on Guam, where he headed a Navy family advocacy committee.

Although Fleming has been out of the Navy since 1982, his private practice accepted military patients using the Tricare program until about five years ago, because of low reimbursement rates and slow payments. “I’m told that things are much better now with Tricare, but that is one of the things I want to see,” Fleming said.

Although he has little seniority on the Armed Services Committee, his subcommittee assignments put him in the middle of the debate about military health care. The readiness subcommittee has responsibility for the construction, renovation and upkeep of military facilities. The military personnel subcommittee is responsible for pay and benefits issues, which include the Tricare program.


Rest of article at: http://armytimes.com/news/2009/02/military_johnfleming_022309w/%2e