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Message From the Editor of Supportthevets
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Write Bill at; williamgast@wesupportthevets.com
meet me in St Louis Mr. President July 24,2003 The pressure is on July 18,2003 This week's progress May27,2003 where are they now? June 15,2003 Promises made, promises kept? June 2,2003 will HR3474 go the same direction as HR303??
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OMB steps back and thinks about this one by Bill Gast No one we talked to knows EXACTLY where the word came from but it was emphatic. Kill the copay increase and hold the order to close the satellite pharmacies recently opened. (i.e., DEPTNAV opened a much needed satellite pharmacy outlet at March AFB in California. This was a branch or outlet managed from Camp Pendleton, Ca 137 miles south. The area around March AFB is one of the fastest growing areas in the United States. Many retired military are living or buying homes in the area. It was a smart, logical move for DEPTNAV.) Until more “study” is accomplished. The Bush administration seems to continue going out of their way to penalize the military community. It’s a well know fact that the cost of healthcare and pharmacy benefits in particular have become much more than what Pentagon bean counters ever anticipated. Its also known that they have been told to trim these costs whenever possible. But to take a copay for prescriptions from $3 (generic) and $9 (brand name) to $10 and $20, respectively is completely insensitive to the well being and lifestyle of all veterans, not only the disabled and those on assistance. Back on December 16, the Pentagon Comptroller issued a draft budget decision paper proposing some large pharmacy copay increases for military retirees. This was one of those nebulas papers that suddenly float from the OMB and make their way to the legislature or DOD and it slips into the system. This one didn’t slide that easy. Given only from the receipt time on Wednesday the 16th to the following Friday (Dec 19th) to respond, departments of Army, Navy, and CG all responded in force and loud and vocal. [Maybe some of these people are short-timers about to retire and they are watching the retired military community happenings a little closer now?] At any rate or regardless of the cause, the OMB put the skids to the draft. Not a significant move for vets because it will rise again like a Phoenix in the FY2006 process. This is a perfect example of what STV has been writing about when it comes to veteran’s responses to issues. This one would have hit the pockets of all retired that are using the TRICARE system for their prescriptions. The HR303 issue concerned only those that were receiving retired pay and VA comp—a small group compared to the overall “force” of veterans that can voice objection when motivated. The result was that the administration threw HR1588 at the DVT group and it was jumped on like a piece of meat by a junkyard dog (Many disabled vets say It was accepted quickly mainly because the house conferees group of VSO “consultants” that accepted the deal were not the ones that would be affected most—the under 50% DAV’s). The administration didn’t put that one off to FY2006, they threw it out to FY2014 before any disabled vets under 50% will be drawing from it. My point? It’s all a matter of support. If the entire group of veterans now living in the US and abroad, about 26 million according to the last census, came out for issues like HR303, there would be no waiting ten years for their deserved full retirement. When will that happen?. WE are watching the progress of the Veterans Party in America and it is pretty encouraging. 2004 will be a great year to prove that veterans, when untied like they have on this issue of increased copay, can get the attention of the electorate and make a difference. It takes planning and strategy-something we have not seen thus far from any of the grassroots veterans and…..it’s January 2004. Bill Bill Gast USN (RET) D.A.V. Editor-
williamgast@wesupportthevets.com
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