Bills of Interest

Disabled Veterans Tax Termination Act Bill # H.R.333 Original Sponsor: Jim Marshall (D-GA 8th) Cosponsor Total: 79 (last sponsor added 04/16/2008) 59 Democrats 20 Republicans About This Legislation: Amends federal military retired pay provisions to: (1) permit veterans with a service-connected disability of less than 50% to claim both retired pay and disability compensation; (2) eliminate provisions requiring a phase in between January 1, 2004, and December 31, 2013, of concurrent receipt of retired pay and disability compensation; (3) provide a special reduction rule with respect to the concurrent receipt of retired pay and disability compensation in the case of disability retirees with less than 20 years of creditable service; and (4) extend combat-related special compensation to certain veterans with less than 20 years of service who have a combat-related disability. Ms. Jo Ann Emerson is signed on already and we need our own to sign on it too please.

Pretax Health Care Premiums Bill # H.R.1110 Original Sponsor: Thomas Davis (R-VA 11th) Cosponsor Total: 325 (last sponsor added 04/17/2008)196 Democrats 129 Republicans About This Legislation: H.R. 1110 would let uniformed services retiree beneficiaries, their family members and survivors pay TRICARE Prime enrollment fees and TRICARE Standard supplemental insurance premiums with pre-tax dollars. It would also allow federal retirees to purchase their Federal Employee Health Benefits (FEHBP) premiums in pre-tax dollars. In 2000, a Presidential directive extended the same tax benefit to current Federal employees who participate in FEHBP. Also, this benefit already is available to many private sector employees. H.R. 1110 would extend the same privilege to all active and retired servicemembers and federal civilians. I find it odd that there are 325 Cosponsors to this bill but not our own representative? Jon can you find out why?

Military Retirees Health Care Protection Act Bill # S.2617 Original Sponsor: Frank Lautenberg (D-NJ) Cosponsor Total: 10 (last sponsor added 06/19/2006) 8 Democrats 2 Republicans About This Legislation: S. 2617 would establish annual caps for any fee or co-payments increases that the Pentagon puts in place. It would affect any increases in four specific areas: *Enrollment fees for retired members and survivors in TRICARE Prime, the military managed care plan. *Pharmacy co-payments. *Enrollment fees for the TRICARE Reserve Select program that helps maintain health coverage continuity for Guard and Reserve families. *Retiree and survivor co-payments for inpatient care. None of our representatives from Missouri find worth supporting.

Pretax Health Care Premiums Bill # S.773 Original Sponsor: John Warner (R-VA) Cosponsor Total: 62 (last sponsor added 04/22/2008) 31 Democrats 2 Independents 29 Republicans About This Legislation: S. 773 would let uniformed services retiree beneficiaries, their family members and survivors pay TRICARE Prime enrollment fees and TRICARE Standard supplemental insurance premiums with pre-tax dollars. It would also allow federal retirees to purchase their Federal Employee Health Benefits (FEHBP) premiums in pre-tax dollars. In 2000, a Presidential directive extended the same tax benefit to current Federal employees who participate in FEHBP. Also, this benefit already is available to many private sector employees. S. 773 would extend the same privilege to all active and retired servicemembers and federal civilians.

Military Health Care Protection Act Bill # S.604 Original Sponsor: Frank Lautenberg D-NJ) Cosponsor Total: 22 (last sponsor added 04/14/2008) 9 Democrats 3 Republicans About This Legislation: S. 604 would bar the TRICARE Prime enrollment fee and TRICARE pharmacy copays from being increased in any year by a percentage that exceeds the percentage increase in military retired pay. And bar TRICARE Reserve Select premiums from being increased by a percentage that exceeds the most recent basic pay increase. Additionaly it would bar any enrollment fee for TRICARE Standard or any increase in the TRICARE Standard inpatient copay. This legislation would also establish in law the unique role of military health benefits in offsetting the extraordinary demands inherent in a military career. And establishes that military people pre-pay large up-front premiums for their lifetime health

Military Retirees Health Care Protection Act Bill # H.R.579 Original Sponsor: Chet Edwards (D-TX 17th) Cosponsor Total: 204 (last sponsor added 04/23/2008) 143 Democrats 61 Republicans About This Legislation: H.R. 579 would establish the principle that it's Congress's responsibility, not the Pentagon's, to establish when and by how much military health fees will be increased. In doing so, it would remove the Secretary of Defense's current authority to make virtually unlimited increases in four specific areas: Enrollment fees for retired members and survivors in TRICARE Prime, the military managed care plan. Pharmacy copayments. Enrollment fees for the TRICARE Reserve Select program that helps maintain health coverage continuity for Guard and Reserve families.Retiree and survivor copayments for inpatient care.