Frank Lautenberg: “I rise to introduce the Military Retirees' Health Care Protection Act along with my colleagues, Senators Hagel, Kerry…”

“I rise to introduce the Military Retirees' Health Care Protection Act along with my colleagues, Senators Hagel, Kerry, Menendez, Lincoln, and DeWine. This important legislation will keep the Pentagon from dramatically raising health care fees on military retirees. Our bill will limit increases to TRICARE military health insurance premiums, deductibles, and co-payments for those in the National Guard and Reserves who are enrolled in TRICARE. Under this legislation, increases in health care fees cannot exceed the rate of growth in uniformed services beneficiaries' military compensation, thereby protecting beneficiaries from an undue financial burden. In February, officials at the Department of Defense (DOD) announced plans to double fees on senior enlisted retirees and triple them for officer retirees. If enacted this would mean increases of up to $1,000 annually for some military retirees. While the Department of Defense has since temporarily halted plans to raise fees, it still has authority to implement steep increases in the future and may do so. We must pass legislation now that limits the amount of any health care increase and protects beneficiaries from extreme health care fee increases in the future. Senator Hagel and I want to demonstrate our commitment to our troops and future veterans by assuring them that just as they protected us, we will take care of them when their service ends.…”