Temporary victory!

[Gimpy]

Plan To Raise Veterans' Drug Co-Pay Shelved
By RICHARD LARDNER rlardner@tampatrib.com
Published: Feb 4, 2004


TAMPA - With November elections looming, President Bush's administration has backed away from a plan to recoup billions of dollars by charging military retirees substantially more for prescription drugs.

If Bush is re-elected, the proposal is expected to resurface next year, a prospect that doesn't sit well with local and national groups representing retirees.

Dave Braun, president of the Veterans Council of Hillsborough County, said Tuesday the administration is shelving the plan ``so it can look good for the election'' and accused the White House of paying lip service to retirees.

``It's egregious that those who would propose this would attempt to balance the defense health budget on the backs of beneficiaries,'' said Sue Schwartz, deputy director of government relations at the Military Officers Association of America.

The decision to delay suggests the White House is not taking the retired military vote for granted. Last year, the Bush administration was criticized by veterans groups for opposing legislation allowing the concurrent receipt of military retirement pay and disability compensation.

According to budget estimates prepared in December by the Pentagon comptroller, raising prescription drug fees could generate as much as $4.2 billion over five years - money that would help offset the rising cost of military health care programs.

Out Of Pocket
For brand-name drugs obtained by mail order through the military's Tricare Senior Pharmacy Program, retirees would pay $20 for a 90-day supply, an $11 increase over the current rate. Mail-order generic drugs would cost $10 for a 90-day supply, an increase of $7, according to budget documents.

Bush's budget plan was sent to Congress this week and the plan was not included, said Schwartz and Mark Olanoff, the American Legion's assistant legislative director.
``Proposing these things in budgets in election years is not a good idea,'' Olanoff said.

On his campaign Web site, presidential candidate and Massachusetts senator John Kerry criticizes the president for proposing to ``increase fees and co-payments in an effort to shift the burden for care onto the backs of veterans.''

The Military Officers Association of America reported last month the plan to boost prescription costs was being pushed by the White House's Office of Management and Budget.

The OMB ``elected to shelve the proposal,'' the association reported, after the Pentagon agreed it would study the plan further and make recommendations in the 2006 budget, which will be delivered to Congress in February 2005.

Prescription drug coverage for military retirees has been in place for less than three years, a benefit they earned ``by service to their country,'' Olanoff said.

Norb Ryan, president of the military officers association, wants the Defense Department to include military retiree and veteran organizations in its study.

``To put it bluntly, this is a grossly insensitive and wrong- headed proposal,'' the association said in an alert to its 380,000 members.
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Just wait folks.................IF Bush get re-elected, you can bet your sweet a$$ that THIS will be BACK in the "budget" next year!.....Even the Millitary Officers Association believes so!

[David]

While they are busy playing politics as usual a perfectly acceptable solution lays just across the border in Canada. This administration must be ingesting drug company lobby money at a huge rate for it to try to raise prescription costs on one hand while blocking sales of much cheaper drugs to its citizens on the other hand. Disgusting is the only word I have for this whole affair.

[Gimpy]

"Disgusting" is just the right word to use!

Ain't it funny how the government can "allow" some MAJOR companies the advantage to move their corporate headquarters "over the border" (out of the country) to get the advantage of not paying any "TAXES".............but WE CITIZENS can't go "over that same border" to get cheaper prescription drugs???

Kinda makes you wonder WHO they're "representing", HUH??? :cd: