Did you know All Retired Military on Medicare got hit with a reduction in benefits?

2018-03-31T22:27:11-04:00

The bill was attached to the back page of another bill, subsequently was passed and took effect 2-1-18 removing free mail order prescription coverage for Generic Formulary drugs. I was told a Pharmacy and Therapeutics Committee meeting was held and Tri-care was there also and agreed to getting this bill passed. So Express Scripts lobbied someone to quietly attach this bill to the back page of another bill. When it passed Express Scripts started billing for this change on 2-1-28. A company named Cigna was in the process of making an offer to by Express Scripts prior to the passage of this bill and the news reported the offer as $32 to $34 Billion. The bill took effect and just 5 weeks later the final offer from Cigna was $67 Billion. A nice $33 Billion profit based on the new law removing a benefit we earned. I contacted Express Scripts when I filled my first prescription at the end of February and got billed for it. They say it is just $7 to $53 for each prescription. This adds up fast for us on Medicare. It is a fact that the older you are the better your chances of taking more medications. I take 9 per month myself. Now that they have taken away our benefit we can expect the price to climb each year without having to get Congress approval.

Response by Capt Daniel Goodman made Mar 31 at 2018 10:39 PM

2018-03-31T22:39:33-04:00

I do find that of interest....on many levels....does thst also apply in any way to those on VA disability? I'll research the bill, however, as I'd read what you'd said, I'd wondered about that aspect, also, you know?

Response by MAJ Ken Landgren made Mar 31 at 2018 10:48 PM

2018-03-31T22:48:22-04:00

Is this part of the privatization?

Response by PVT Mark Brown made Mar 31 at 2018 11:30 PM

2018-03-31T23:30:54-04:00

Here we go, the sorry bastards in Congress are doing everything they can to screw us. I keep hearing all this noise about various schemes to destroy the VA Medical System either one piece at a time or in total. Makes me angry especially since I am helpless to do anything about it. Sorry Senior to hear about this. You are so very correct. When we enlisted (albeit 60 years ago) we entered into a contract with the United States of America. In exchange for our commitment to lay it all on the line, to offer ourselves up to and including our very lives, certain long-term benefits were it expressly promised or insinuated. Now, here we are ready to reap the harvest of our just dividends as payment for our sacrifices and the wonderful idiots running our government just say to us "Oh, we said that, oh, well, we were just kidding." We can't take back our service (not that I would even consider that - I would do it all over again.)

Response by MCPO Roger Collins made Apr 1 at 2018 10:22 AM

2018-04-01T10:22:14-04:00

Here is a good explanation.

https://www.google.com/amp/s/http://www.military.com/militaryadvantage/2018/02/22/tricare-life-users-surprised-drug-cost-increase.html/amp

Tricare for Life Users Surprised by Drug Cost Increase

Although Tricare for Life users were mostly protected from Tricare's Jan. 1 changes, they are always subject to the separate pharmacy co-pay increases.

Response by MCPO Roger Collins made Apr 1 at 2018 10:40 AM

2018-04-01T10:40:55-04:00

Lots of incorrect information regarding lifetime medical benefits. Here is the cold hard facts.

https://www.military.com/militaryadvantage/2012/05/is-there-a-promise-of-free-health-care-for-life

Was Free Health Care for Life Promised?

A reader of Tom Philpott's"Military Update" recently wrote him commenting on Senator Lindsay Graham's remarks about the promise of free health care for life for military retirees.

Response by SCPO James Williams made Apr 2 at 2018 9:43 AM

2018-04-02T09:43:32-04:00

Just got bill on my wife's heart medication that was on the formulary and did have a $0 co-pay. It is no longer on the formulary and now cost $53.00. Getting impossible to keep our heads above water with all these new changes.