[Congressional Record Volume 146, Number 51 (Monday, May 1, 2000)]
[Senate]
[Pages S3192-S3193]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]

      By Mr. WARNER (for himself, Mr. Lott, Mr. Thurmond, Mr. Inhofe, 
        Ms. Snowe, Mr. Allard, Mr. Hutchinson, Mr. Craig, Mr. Gregg, 
        Mr. Bond, Mrs. Hutchison, Mr. Crapo, Mr. Helms, Mr. Daschle, 
        Mr. Levin, Mr. Kennedy, Mr. Lieberman, Mr. Inouye, Mr. Mack, 
        Mr. Reed, Mr. Cleland, and Mr. Kerry):
  S. 2486. A bill to amend title 10, United States Code, to improve 
access to benefits under the TRICARE program; to extend and improve 
certain demonstration programs under the Defense Health Program; and 
for other purposes; to the Committee on Armed Services.


             military health care improvements act of 2000

  Mr. WARNER. Mr. President, I rise today to introduce an enhanced 
piece of legislation the Military Medical Improvement Act of 2000. This 
revised legislative initiative incorporates the major concerns of 
beneficiaries I heard pertaining to the original legislation.
  S. 2087, the Military Health Care Improvement Act of 2000 that I 
introduced on February 23, 2000, contains a provision authorizing a 
mail order pharmacy benefit for military retirees, dependents and 
survivors over age 64. Since S. 2087 was introduced, the Personnel 
Subcommittee of the Senate

[[Page S3193]]

Armed Services Committee has conducted a hearing on medical issues 
where beneficiary representatives conveyed the importance of a 
comprehensive pharmacy benefit to committee members. I chaired sessions 
of the Senate Armed Services Committee where senior Department of 
Defense officials, both uniformed and civilian, addressed the 
importance of the medical benefit and meeting health care commitments 
to retirees as recruiting and retention issues.
  Due to my grave concern about meeting the needs of military 
beneficiaries, and the importance of health care as a component of the 
compensation package, I have continued to solicit views of military 
beneficiaries on medical benefits. I recently conducted a town hall 
meeting in Norfolk, Virginia, devoted exclusively to military health 
care issues. A recurring concern mentioned by the participants was that 
the pharmacy provision of S. 2087 did not include a retail pharmacy 
component. I have come to the conclusion that it is critical that we 
expand access to a retail benefit for all military beneficiaries.
  The legislation I am introducing today responds to the concerns I 
have heard from military beneficiaries and includes a modified pharmacy 
provision that expands the mail order pharmacy program to all military 
beneficiaries with no enrollment fee or deductible and that would 
provide access to retail pharmacy networks for all military 
beneficiaries, including those eligible for Medicare. This benefit 
would mirror the current Base Realignment and Closure (BRAC) pharmacy 
benefit. The BRAC pharmacy benefit is currently restricted to only a 
few Medicare-eligible military retirees. The modified pharmacy benefit 
I am suggesting would, in effect, extend the BRAC benefit to all 
Medicare-eligible beneficiaries of the military health care system.
  Based on lower than expected costs associated with this enhanced 
provision, and my recent amendment to the budget resolution which 
allows for funding of medical reserve account to accommodate 
incorporation of programs to address military retiree's health care 
needs, I am confident this body will embrace this further commitment to 
meeting the health care needs of those who have so faithfully served 
their nation.
  Mr. HUTCHINSON. Mr. President, I am pleased to join Chairman Warner 
in bringing this enhanced military medical improvement legislation to 
the floor today. As chairman of the Personnel Subcommittee, I have 
chaired several oversight hearings which have contributed to 
identifying areas of improvements to the original legislation. While 
the pharmacy benefit included in S. 2087 is significant, beneficiaries 
have expressed concern over meeting their acute prescription drug 
needs.
  The version of the Military Medical Improvement Act of 2000 that I 
join the chairman in introducing today, builds upon the previous 
legislation and provides for enhancement of the pharmacy benefit by 
adding a retail component on the pharmacy program to address the acute 
medical needs of our military retiree population. The new legislation 
provides for system wide expansion of the Base Realignment and Closure 
of ``BRAC'' pharmacy benefit. The BRAC benefit includes access to 
retail networks with a 20 percent beneficiary cost share. The benefit 
also includes the mail order pharmacy program with current co-pays of 
$8 for a 90 day supply of drugs with no enrollment fees for 
deductibles.
  I feel it is critically important to provide a uniform benefit for 
all our military retirees and their families. Revised cost assumptions 
associated with S. 2087, and a provision in the Budget Resolution, 
allow us to enhance the original provision to more closely meet the 
needs of those who were promised health care.
  Mr. President, as I travel and meet with military beneficiaries, I 
will continue to examine opportunities to improve and enhance the 
health care package provided to our service members, their families, 
retirees, their dependents, and survivors. The medical component of the 
compensation package continues to grow in significance as health care 
costs increase and the recruiting environment becomes more difficult. 
Meeting the commitment to military retirees sends a strong message to 
those young people we seek to draw to military service.
  This enhanced legislation continues the ongoing process of working 
toward meeting the needs of the military population. As chairman of the 
Personnel Subcommittee I am committed to further examination of follow 
on opportunities to improve the military health care system.
                                 ______