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Health Care Issues |
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Issue |
Senate (S. 3001)* |
House (H.R. 5658) |
MOAA position |
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TRICARE fee increases |
Oppose Administration-proposed increases. |
Bar any TRICARE Prime or Standard fee increases before 9/30/09. |
Support House provision. |
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TRICARE pharmacy |
Oppose proposed copay increases. |
Bar pharmacy copay changes before 9/30/09. |
Support House provision. |
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TRICARE Reserve Select premiums |
Premiums shall be based on TRS costs, not the federal health care program (expected to reduce premiums). |
Similar provision. |
Support both provisions. |
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Civilianization of military medical positions |
Repeals ban on outsourcing of military/federal civilian positions to contractors. |
Sustain ban and add back 1,473 medical positions. |
Support House provision. |
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Preventive care and disease management |
Authorize programs to provide incentives to beneficiaries who complete certain preventive health care guidelines. |
Waive preventive care copays. Cover smoking cessation services. Create pilot for annual preventive health allowance. |
Support House provision. |
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Chiropractic care |
Require report on need for chiropractic among active duty. |
Cover chiropractic care for all active duty members. |
Support House provision. |
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Reserve component medical/dental readiness
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Require physical exam every 2 years for members over 40. Authorize SecDef to waive copays for dental care in times of national emergency. |
Require SecDef to study an Army program designed to ensure dental readiness regardless of mobilization status for service-wide applicability. |
Support both provisions. |
*NOTE: The House of Representatives passed H.R. 5658 in May. The Senate Armed Services Committee approved S. 3001 in May, but full Senate action was still pending at press time.
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Non-Health Care Issues |
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Issue |
Senate (S. 3001)* |
House (H.R. 5658) |
MOAA Position |
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Temporary lodging expenses (TLE) allowance for PCS moves |
No similar provision. |
Increase maximum daily allowance to $290/day (vs. $180) |
Support House provision. |
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Military pay raise |
3.9% for active duty, Guard, and Reserve members on 1/1/09. |
3.9% raise on 1/1/09; raises for 2010-13 to be ½ percent higher than private sector pay growth. |
Support House provisions. |
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Guard/Reserve retirement |
No similar provision. |
Allow reservists with active duty retirement to switch to reserve retirement if it provides greater benefit. Eff. 1/1/09. |
Support House provision. |
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Survivor Benefit Plan (SBP) |
No provision. |
Extend $50/mo stipend to all widows affected by SBP/DIC offset. Authorize restoration of SBP to certain survivors who previously switched benefit to children. |
Support House provision. |
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Military manpower levels vs. FY2008 |
Increase Army strength by 7,000; USMC by 5,000; and Army National Guard by 1,300.
Reduce Navy by 3,798 and USAF by 12,792. |
Similar Army, USMC, and Army National Guard provisions.
Reduce Navy by 2,775 and USAF by 12,513. |
Support increases. MOAA is concerned that USAF and Navy reductions are driven by budget rather than requirements. |
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Spouse benefits adjustments |
Authorize training and education for portable careers. Authorize 500-lb. allowance for spouse professional materials for military moves. |
Similar provisions, except authorizes 200 lb. limit. |
Support Senate provisions. |
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Flexible spending accounts (FSA) |
Require DoD to build a plan to implement FSAs or explain why not. |
No similar provision. |
Support Senate provision. FSAs allow pre-tax payment of out-of-pocket health/child care expenses. |
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Aid for civilian schools attended by military children |
Authorize $40M to assist schools attended by military dependents. |
Authorize $65M. |
Support House provision. |
*NOTE: The House of Representatives passed H.R. 5658 in May. The Senate Armed Services Committee approved S. 3001 in May, but full Senate action was still pending at press time.