[Congressional Record Volume 146, Number 17 (Wednesday, February 23, 2000)]
[Senate]
[Pages S737-S738]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]




              MILITARY HEALTH CARE IMPROVEMENT ACT OF 2000

  Mr. KENNEDY. Mr. President, today, we begin a new effort to keep our 
promise of good health care for the nation's military retirees. We have 
an obligation to provide comprehensive health benefits to the men and 
women who put their lives on the line for our country. This bill is a 
solid start. The Military Health Care Improvement Act of 2000 will make 
a significant difference in the lives of our military retirees. Too 
often, today, those who have served our country with honor are left 
struggling to obtain and pay for health care in their retirement. 
That's not right.
  The Act will extend existing medical demonstration programs to 
military retirees who are over the age of 65. It will also extend the 
Federal Employees Health Benefit Program Demonstration for Medicare-
eligible beneficiaries, and it will enable the Secretary of Defense to 
expand the number of TRICARE Senior Prime sites.
  The expansion of the National Mail Order Pharmacy Program will bring 
welcome relief to eligible beneficiaries, and the Pharmacy Pilot 
Program will reduce pharmacy enrollment fees and implement monthly or 
quarterly deductible payments. I hope that in addition, we will be able 
to expand this provision to include retail pharmacies as well.
  The provisions for active duty family members are also an important 
aspect of this bill. Expanding the availability of TRICARE Prime Remote 
to military families will eliminate their co-payments and make the 
program more accessible and affordable to many more. Improvement of the 
health care services provided through TRICARE will

[[Page S738]]

help address the concerns of many retirees regarding access, 
availability and scheduling of appointments, claims filing, processing 
and payment, and national enrollment.
  This bill is an important first step toward achieving the goal we 
share, and I look forward to working closely with my colleagues on the 
Senate Armed Services Committee and in the Senate to enact it.

                          ____________________