John A. Smith, Founder/Editor October 25, 2016Updates on Military Benefits From Military.com
OCTOBER 24
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TRICARE to Expand Coverage
TRICARE is adding new services and screenings. Effective Jan.1, 2017, TRICARE will cover annual preventive office visits for all Prime beneficiaries 6 years of age and older. Read More
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AF Approves Turkey Incentive Pay
Active-duty Airmen assigned to Turkey between Aug. 29, 2016, and Dec. 31, 2018, may be eligible for incentive pay. Read More
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3,000+ Aerospace & IT Jobs Hiring Vet Talent
Looking for a career in IT or aerospace? Search over 3,000 jobs from top employers looking to hire veteran talent. Read More
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Arrests Made in TRICARE Rx Kickback Scheme
Federal agents have charged a dozen defendants with fraud
and conspiracy in a kickback scheme involving compound drugs and
TRICARE. Read More
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SGLI/VGLI Enough? Get $100k Coverage from $7 a Month
Is SGLI enough? VGLI too much? Don't take a chance on your family's future. Read More
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Free Online Course Expanded to Veteran Spouses
Military spouses and caregivers can access one free course
within any given specialization with online learning portal Coursera. Read More
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100 Cities/100 Memorials
A new program will help people across the country restore and preserve local World War I memorials. Read More
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Army Debuts New Combat Tourniquet
Makers of the Combat Application Tourniquet have updated
the design. The update has resulted in two different versions of the
tourniquet currently in use in the field. Read More
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Lock in Your Low Rate Before It's Too Late
Rates are at a 4-month high. Qualified borrowers can pay as little as $0 down and have no PMI payments. Read More
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American Legion Offers Scholarship
The Samsung American Legion Scholarship is available for high school juniors who are direct descendants of wartime veterans. Read More
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California Guardsmen Ordered to Pay Back Bonuses: Report
The U.S. Defense Department is ordering almost 10,000
one-time National Guardsmen from California to pay back enlistment
bonuses. Read More
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Care Packages for Women Veterans in Michigan
A chapter of Daughters of the American Revolution is
packing beauty bags full of toiletries for women veterans in the state
of Michigan. Read More
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AF Issues Transgender Policy Guidance
The Air Force recently released transgender implementation
guidance addressing specific procedures for transitioning and requesting
an official change in gender. Read More
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Ready to Join or Reenlist? Get Up to $50k Bonuses
Thinking of your next move? Enlist or continue your
military career by reenlisting now, plus you may qualify for up to
$50,000. Read More
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Top 3 VA Home Loan Tips
There are numerous advantages to having a VA mortgage. A VA
mortgage loan can be guaranteed with no money down, in some cases up to
$417,000. Read More
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Donate Suits for Service Members
The nationwide Suits for Soldiers program helps all active duty military personnel transition to civilian work and life. Read More
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Free Legal Clinic in Texas
The Jefferson County, Texas Bar Association will host a free clinic for veterans seeking legal advice or assistance. Read More
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Pay $0 Co-Pays & Rx Costs with a TRICARE Supplement
Doctor and hospital bills are expensive even when you're covered by TRICARE. Help eliminate out-of-pocket expenses. Read More
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Health Care Focused Virtual Career Fair
MOAA is hosting a free Virtual Career Fair tailored for
military personnel and veterans seeking positions within the healthcare
industry. Read More
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MARSOC Chooses Glock 19s over .45s for Raiders
Marine Corps Special Operations Command has decided to
shelve its custom .45 pistols and outfit its elite Raiders with the
Glock 19. Read More
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No FluMist Available Through TRICARE for 2016
The intranasal flu vaccine known as FluMist will not be
available at DoD facilities or covered by TRICARE during the 2016-17
influenza season. Read More
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Motor Homes for Homeless Vets
A California nonprofit group is seeking donations of RVs, motor homes,and more for homeless veterans to live in. Read More
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Navy Adds Two Special Warfare Courses
The Center for Sea, Air and Land and Special Warfare
Combatant-craft Crewman (CENSEALSWCC) has added the Ground Force
Commander Course (GFCC) and the Troop Leader Course (TLC). Read More
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Moment of Silence on Veterans Day
President Obama has signed a new law that calls on all
Americans to pause voluntarily for two minutes to honor the sacrifice of
veterans. Read More
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Navy to Offer Free Child Care to Overcharged Parents
The Navy is giving two weeks of free, full-time child care
to some parents during November and December as well as up to a $10,000
MWR grant. Read More
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SecDef Ash Carter to Speak at VOWS Symposium
On November 1st, the Veterans on Wall Street (VOWS) coalition will be hosting their 6th annual veteran employment symposium. Read More
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Navy Shifts to SMART Tracker System
The LIMDU Sailor and Marine Readiness Tracker System
(SMART) is replacing the Medical Evaluation Board System (MEDBOLTS) in
managing the tracking of Temporary LIMDU (TLD). Read More
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Specially Adapted Housing Grants Increase
Maximum rates for specially adapted housing grants went up
10/1. For more details and for a guide to these grants, see
Military.com's Special Adapted Housing FAQ. Read More
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Navy Chief to Sailors: You Have a Voice in Ratings Overhaul
Vice Adm. Robert Burke, the Chief of Naval Personnel, has
written a commentary piece for Military.com about the Navy's rating
modernization plan. Read More
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VA Office Helps Veterans in Small Business
VA's Office of Small and Disadvantaged Business Utilization
(OSDBU) works with stakeholders to ensure that veteran-owned businesses
have opportunities to be awarded contracts. Read More
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Navy Officers Can Apply for MIT Program
The MIT/WHOI Joint Program is open to qualified
oceanography, submarine warfare and surface warfare officers looking to
enhance their understanding of operational oceanography. Read More
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Well-Child Visits Now Covered under TRICARE Policy
Well-child visits for TRICARE users over age six, as well
as physicals required for school admissions, will now be covered due to
newly updated rules. Read More
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Women Veterans and Disability
Women veterans with disabilities or medical conditions
incurred during military service may be eligible to receive tax-free
monthly disability benefits. Read More
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VA Home Loans
Here are ten facts about the VA Home Loan Program: (1)
there is no down payment and no mortgage insurance required; (2) you can
use your VA Home Loan benefits as many times as you want. Read More
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Thursday, October 13, 2016
Updates on Military Benefits From Military.com, The Military's Largest Benefit Update
Big Pharma Lobbyist - Prescription Drug Bill Allow Drug Company To Charge Medicare/Medicaid $1,000.00/Pill For Drug That Cost $1.00 To Make
Hepatitis C Drug Cost $1 to Make - Iliad Sciences Charges Medicare $1,000.00/Pill
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| Photo credit to KTTN/KGOZ Radio |
John A. Smith, Founder/Editor, October 13, 2016
Why Can't Medicare Negotiate Drug Prices
It started in 2003 when Medicare was expanded to include medications. George W. Bush and Republicans sold out to Big Pharma payoffs and forced the passing of the Medicare Prescription Drug Improvement and Modernization Act. (aka the "Prescription Drug Bill.") The vote was unprecedented because as the vote was going on and the Republicans seen they might not have the votes to pass the bill, they held the vote open for hours. While holding the vote open for hours they "twisted the arms" of their own members by telling them that if they didn't vote to pass the bill the Republican Party would run someone against them in a primary in their next election. Once they got the required votes they quickly ended the voting.
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| Long title | An act to amend title XVIII of the Social Security Act to provide for a voluntary prescription drug benefit under the medicare program and to strengthen and improve the medicare program, and for other purposes. |
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| Acronyms (colloquial) | Medicare Modernization Act or MMA |
| Citations | |
| Public law | 108 - 173 |
| Legislative history | |
So Who Profited From The Bill? - And Who Lost?The WinnersThe biggest winner is obviously Big PharMa. After passage of the bill they could charge Medicare and Medicaid any price they wanted for a drug. A common heart medication that cost Medicare $234/yr immediately went to $1,600.00/yr. This went on right across the board.(From Wikipedia:) "W.J."Billy" Tauzin, the Louisiana Republican who chaired the Energy and Commerce Committee from 2001 until February 4, 2004 was one of the chief architects of the new Medicare law.[6][7] In 2004 when Tauzin was appointed as chief lobbyist for the Pharmaceutical Research and Manufacturers of America (PhRMA), the trade association and lobby group for the drug industry with a "rumored salary of $2 million a year,"[6] drawing criticism from a Washington-based Public Citizen, the consumer advocacy group."In fact, all 29 original sponsors of the bill, within 2 years of the bill passing, were either lobbying or directly working for a pharmaceutical company with a hefty salary. The Losers: TaxpayersCosts: The Republicans knew very well that passing this bill was going to give Big PharMa a gigantic windfall due to the fact that Medicare would not be able to negotiate drug prices even though they should have the biggest "buying power" on this earth and under-played what the cost would be. (From Wikipedia:) "Initially, the net cost of the program was projected at $400 billion for the ten-year period between 2004 and 2013. Administration official Thomas Scully instructed analyst Richard Foster not to tell Congress of Foster's finding that the cost would actually be over $500 billion. One month after passage, the administration estimated that the net cost of the program over the period between 2006 (the first year the program started paying benefits) and 2015 would be $534 billion.[14] As of February 2009, the projected net cost of the program over the 2006 to 2015 period was $549.2 billion.[15] ."In That Bill Was the Provision That Medicare and Medicaid Could NOT Negotiate Drug PricesThe Veteran's Administration did well in refusing to give their right to negotiate drug prices away and was able to stay out of this. However Medicare and Medicaid had no choice and the Republicans gave that right away."Through 2012, Medicare Part D added $318 billion to the national debt (see “General Revenue” on Page 111 in the 2013 Medicare trustees report). That same report projects that Medicare Part D will add $852 billion to the debt over the next 10 years." READ MORE: Medicare Part D: Republican Budget-Busting Former President George W. Bush LIED to Congress and the American public. " The Bush White House lied to Congress about the cost. Within two months of signing the Medicare Modernization Act (MMA) into law, President Bush quietly informed Congress that the true cost of the program would be $550 billion, not $395 billion, over the next decade. When Medicare actuary Richard Foster sought to present the true price tag to Congress in late 2003, then agency chief Thomas Scully threatened to fire him. By the time the program was launched in 2006, the estimated 10 year price tag for the Medicare prescription plan had increased to $720 billion." To attack Obamacare, Republicans forget the lessons of Bush's Medicare reform | |
George W. Bush Lied to America About This Prescription Drug Bill Just As He Did About Iraq To Get Us Into War That Killed More Than 4,000 U.S. Troops - Only This Time It Was To Give Big Pharma and Republicans A Windfall!
From: Prescription Drug Bill: The Good, the Bad, and the Ugly, Brookings
"The House voted first. At the end of the customary 15 minutes allocated
for electronic voting, the bill seemed to be failing. The Republican
leadership held open the voting for nearly three hours until they
succeeded in arm-twisting a few G.O.P. opponents into switching their
votes from nay to aye. A few Democrats were ready to shift their votes
into the negative column, but their leadership failed to get them back
to the floor in time, and the chair gaveled the vote closed. The bill
passed the House by a single vote."
"The bill indisputably and significantly deepens an already horrendous fiscal mess. Plausible projections indicate that over the decade 2005-2014 cumulative federal budget deficits will run to about $4.7 trillion. The Medicare bill will add just under $600 billion in that decade and $1.5 to $2 trillion in the succeeding decade, when deficits will explode. Closing these deficits would require either reneging on these benefits or enormous tax increases." READ MORE
The biggest thing that bothers me, there are many, is that 29 original Republican sponsors of this bill left public service and were given jobs by large pharmaceutical companies for payment, for getting this bill passed. It will cost taxpayers Trillions of dollars and individual Medicare recipients much more. The former President Bush outright lied, just like he did after sending Ambassador Joe Walsh overseas to find out if Iraq had purchased a large amount of material to biuld nuclear bombs. When Joe Walsh came back and told him there was no way that Iraq could have bought the materials former President Bush went on TV and to Congress and outright lied and said yes, they did make that purchase and we went to war. When Joe Walsh couldn't keep quiet about such a lie he went public and the Bush administration attacked him and his family. They first exposed his wife Valerie Plume as being a CIA operative which not only put her in danger but also many other CIA operatives, but they didn't care, they needed to stop him from telling the truth. You might remember Scooty Libby, a close friend to the one pulling all the strings Dick Cheney. Dick Cheney got very mad at Bush for not giving Libby a pardon in his conviction of what they did to Valeria Plume and Joe Walsh. Bush and Cheney were angry at each other ever since then, and never really put up with each other after that. Those 29 Republicans who sponsored the bill and took jobs with large pharmaceutical companies for payment for passing the "Prescription Drug Bill" all left public service within two years of passing the bill and are all making millions of dollars a year, while taxpayers and Medicare recipients are paying trillions of dollars for their injustice.
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