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September 24, 2007
We would like to inform you of a significant change in the rules surrounding TRICARE due to The John Warner National Defense Authorization Act for Fiscal Year 2007. We have included the text from Section 722 of the legislation:
SECTION 722
Makes the TRICARE program the secondary payer for any health care services provided by an employer to a TRICARE - eligible employee (and their spouse) of a public or private employer who offers a group health care plan. Prohibits public and private employers with 20 or more employees from providing a financial incentive to TRICARE -eligible retirees to utilize TRICARE as the primary payer for health care rather than the employer-sponsored group health plan. Provides a $5,000 fine for each violation. Makes this section effective on January 1, 2008.
Similar to the Medicare Secondary Payer Rules, employers are now prohibited from providing incentive for employees to select TRICARE as their primary coverage. This includes making any contribution to the monthly premiums for a group TRICARE supplement plan or from offering it as an employer sponsored plan. Based on this new legislation, XXXXX will be unable to offer the ASI TRICARE Supplement as an employer sponsored plan as of January 1, 2008. If you are currently an ASI TRICARE Supplement participant you will be receiving communications from ASI regarding this change and the process for continuing your coverage directly through ASI should you choose to do so.
What this means in plain language is that our health coverage (you know, the 'coverage for life that Arni was guarenteed when he signed his contracts) has now, effectively, forced us to either up our medical insurance payments by over $400 a month by enrolling in the company's health plan or to shunt us back into the military system - where retirees can wait for six or more months for appointments and have to pay fees in advance on a tri-monthly basis or lose their insurance completely. And no more seeing our 'own' doctor.
Really appreciate the love and support. And this from a Republican administration.
We would like to inform you of a significant change in the rules surrounding TRICARE due to The John Warner National Defense Authorization Act for Fiscal Year 2007. We have included the text from Section 722 of the legislation:
SECTION 722
Makes the TRICARE program the secondary payer for any health care services provided by an employer to a TRICARE - eligible employee (and their spouse) of a public or private employer who offers a group health care plan. Prohibits public and private employers with 20 or more employees from providing a financial incentive to TRICARE -eligible retirees to utilize TRICARE as the primary payer for health care rather than the employer-sponsored group health plan. Provides a $5,000 fine for each violation. Makes this section effective on January 1, 2008.
Similar to the Medicare Secondary Payer Rules, employers are now prohibited from providing incentive for employees to select TRICARE as their primary coverage. This includes making any contribution to the monthly premiums for a group TRICARE supplement plan or from offering it as an employer sponsored plan. Based on this new legislation, XXXXX will be unable to offer the ASI TRICARE Supplement as an employer sponsored plan as of January 1, 2008. If you are currently an ASI TRICARE Supplement participant you will be receiving communications from ASI regarding this change and the process for continuing your coverage directly through ASI should you choose to do so.
What this means in plain language is that our health coverage (you know, the 'coverage for life that Arni was guarenteed when he signed his contracts) has now, effectively, forced us to either up our medical insurance payments by over $400 a month by enrolling in the company's health plan or to shunt us back into the military system - where retirees can wait for six or more months for appointments and have to pay fees in advance on a tri-monthly basis or lose their insurance completely. And no more seeing our 'own' doctor.
Really appreciate the love and support. And this from a Republican administration.
