Military health costs up 300%... will take 10% of DOD budget in 2015

[BrentWil]

Tricare is one hell of a good benefit. But this is getting expensive. Thoughts?

Link

NEW YORK (CNNMoney) -- The cost of military health care, up 300% in the past decade, is eating a giant hole in the Pentagon's budget, according to a report released Monday by a group of defense experts.

The Defense Department expects to spend $52.5 billion on health care in 2012, a 300% increase since 2001, the report says. By 2015, health care will account for 10% of the Pentagon budget.

[Solly Mack]

1. 300% since 2001. Anybody? Bueller? Bueller? Bueller?

[Moondog]

2. It is deferred compensation, something that was earned, and not

bestowed. Some pencil neck from the bowels of DoD tries to pull this shit every few years. He, she or it needs to be kicked in the ass, and told to go back to his, her or its cubicle, and shut up and color.

[al_liberal]

3. Boo Hoo

52+ billion dollars out of their 1+ trillion dollar budget. The country should be so lucky.

[Canuckistanian]

4. Get out of Afghanistan & Iraq. Close overseas bases,

Stop the dubious military R&D projects. Rein in massive overspending on weapons programs.

Prosecute and sue contractors who defrauded the Pentagon.

Find the missing cash from Iraq (what was it, $9 billion?)

Problem solved. You're welcome.

[nadinbrzezinski]

6. I think those 9 b... have become over 13

and now include places like oh POLAND... yes sack fulls of cash.

The Mercs are so darn happy though, and it is not JUST Xe any more. It is a growing industry.

[nadinbrzezinski]

5. Well given I pay deductibles and copays and all that

anyhow.. head injuries and PTSD are NOT cheap to treat. Care to think why any of those things might be in need of coverage? Hell, PTSD can be more expensive than oh I don't know even Diabetes, and recovery from multiple head injuries, that can last a life time... ain't cheap either. That is the signature injury of this war.

So care to tell me why oh this thang called the Iraq War and Afghanistan War have any to do with Tricare?

I am sure you do not need time connecting them dots.

by the way. they pull this shit every so often because Republicans and SOME Democrats really would prefer NOT to take care of those spent bullets who didn't have the good sense to die while ON DUTY.

On the bright side... Mrs. Giffords is benefiting from all that research on head injury... and it's treatment... I have no idea why... and yes one of her insurance programs IS tricare.

[Earth_First]

7. ...and this is DENYING post-traumatic-stress-syndrome and exposure to depleted uranium to THOUSANDS

of veterans returning from Iraq and Afghanistan.

This figure is just mind boggling.

[nadinbrzezinski]

8. Trust me hubby is STILL fighitng the VA

he should be getting comp for his sleep problems...

[Earth_First]

9. Good luck to your husband...

My uncle who recently died from a rare form of t-cell lymphoma was in the process of requesting information from the military to know what he was exposed to as a Nuclear, Biological, Chemical warfare officer in the Army during his time served in the early 80's...

They dragged their feet until his deathbed, after which they closed the investigation regardless of the fact that his widow, my aunt still wants answers...

[nadinbrzezinski]

10. His sleep cycles were destroyed

they recognize the issue, but will not pay for it. They should.

The only reason he should is for job security, he gets it, a higher disability that is, and that helps with the Post Office.

[pinboy3niner]

11. I still receive treatment for my wounds from VN

I'm enrolled in Tricare, but I usually go to the VA instead. Other wounded vets are VA-eligible--but for some, VA care is impractical because they live too far from VA medical facilities. They HAVE to rely on Tricare--so they wind up paying Tricare deductibles and co-pays even for their war injuries, as Nadin said above. Now they want to RAISE those costs?

It's deja vu all over again. Whenever they want to cut defense costs, they always go after the usual suspects--the troops/veterans and military families.

They seem to be trying diligently to prove that your faithful service and sacrifice shall not go unpunished...

[Poboy]

12. .