Tricare offered to reservists who agree to stay on after deployment

[lebkuchen]

and yet another carrot offered to those who will stay in the military...

Why isn't Tricare given to reservists for free? We can't pay for all the bombs we're dropping on other countries. Why should Tricare have to subsidize itself? Just add it to the taxpayer bill. What difference does it make?

http://www.estripes.com/article.asp?section=104&article=27973

Beginning April 26, reservists who serve in the war on terror and who agree to spend more time in the reserves when they come home will have the option of joining Tricare, the military’s healthcare coverage program.

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Joining the TSR program will cost individuals $75 per month, or $900 per year. Family coverage will cost $233 per month, or $2,796 per year — “very attractive premium rates,” according to William Winkenwerder Jr., Assistant Secretary of Defense Health Affairs.

How long a reservist and his or her family is eligible for the new health coverage depends on two factors: how long they were activated for the war on terror; and how many additional years of reserve duty they agree to serve after they come home, Hall said.

Each 90 days of continuous active duty served in support of a contingency operation is worth one year of TSR coverage, up to a maximum of eight years of coverage in return for two full years of active duty.

[Tux]

1. Er

Wasn't our military supposed to have healthcare already? Call me crazy but they seem to need it.

[Pinboy]

3. Tricare covers civilian healthcare for military, dependents and retirees

This is separate from care provided in military hospitals and clinics.

[Tux]

6. Oh OK

I was worried that Shrub was trying to screw over our troops.

[Pinboy]

7. That's OK. You're right about W trying to screw over the troops . . .

This just does not happen to be one of the many ways he's doing it . . .

[jdj]

2. so when you get blown to bits we'll glue you back together? n/t

[yellowdogintexas]

4. TriCare is normally for the retired personnel and their

dependents until they reach Medicare eligibility.

Different from currently enlisted military benefits.

Also, high time they included these folks in the program even if it is just a carrot.

[haele]

5. Well, as of last October -

- all reservists and reservist retirees (like myself) and their families are eligible for Tricare Dental. For some reason, Tricare decided that they needed to have more dental patients or something like that.
But not medical. :shrug:
If they had added Tricare Standard to that new policy, I'd have signed myself and my family up for both as quickly as it would take for you to tell me. And if it were Tricare Prime (the active duty version) - I'd be there as soon as the DEERS office opened.

In terms of medical insurance, Tricare is a terrific deal for a working family. And Tricare Prime is as close to universal medicine as you can get in this country.

Haele

[nadinbrzezinski]

9. just remember to pay your fees on time

and they will never remind you they are due, okay

[autorank]

8. Damn, I hear only part of this. I thought it was for all Guard who served

Well, excuse me for thinking any of the ruling elite would give a damn about out guys/gals who got called up. I heard a snip on the radio and though, "damn, 8 years of Tricare." It's not the best insurance program but it's very workable and had a new management group that gets things done. Now I find out that going over there, which the Guard was never intended to do, and risking your life, etc. isn't enough. You have to effing re-enlist. God this makes me sad and upset. ANYONE WHO IS IN THE GUARD AND GOT CALLED UP AND WENT FOR THIS WAR DESERVES THE TRICARE 8 YEAR BENEFIT, EVERY SINGLE ONE OF THLEM WHETHER THEY WERE IN IRAQ OR ELSEWHERE. LETS DEMAND IT FROM OUR REPS.