House committee rejects TRICARE hikes

The Defense Department had proposed having patients pay up to 14 percent of their health care costs by 2017, compared with 10 percent now.

A House committee has said “no” to a plan to raise military retirees’ health care premiums.

The Defense Department had proposed having patients pay up to 14 percent of their health care costs by 2017, compared with 10 percent now.

The House Armed Services Committee did not go along with that. In recent hearings, lawmakers have said that raising the fees translates into broken promises to military retirees.

DoD says increasing TRICARE fees would help the department preserve other programs. The committee has agreed to let the Pentagon charge retirees higher co-pays for some prescription medicine.

This story is part of Federal News Radio’s daily DoD Report brought to you by United Health Military and Veterans Services. For more defense news, click here.

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