[Congressional Record (Bound Edition), Volume 146 (2000), Part 1]
[House]
[Page 1026]
[From the U.S. Government Publishing Office, www.gpo.gov]



                   ELIMINATE THE TRICARE PRIME COPAY

  (Mr. NETHERCUTT asked and was given permission to address the House 
for 1 minute and to revise and extend his remarks.)
  Mr. NETHERCUTT. Mr. Speaker, I hear from constituents on a daily 
basis who are concerned about the availability and affordability of 
military health care. On February 1, I introduced H.R. 3565 to 
eliminate the copayment requirement for TRICARE Prime and to make 
military health care more affordable.
  Retirees pay an annual enrollment fee for coverage and are also 
subject to copayment requirements. Active duty families do not pay an 
enrollment fee, but are subject to copayments. I am concerned that 
these copays can dramatically increase overall health care costs, 
particularly for retirees on a fixed income or for younger enlisted 
personnel. At $6 to $12 a visit, these copays quickly erode the real 
progress Congress made last year in approving a long overdue increase 
in military pay. Unless we reduce out-of-pocket costs for military 
personnel, pay raises only help on the margin.
  Mr. Speaker, this bill is very good for veterans, it is good news for 
active duty personnel, it is fair under the circumstances today, and I 
urge my colleagues to support it.

                          ____________________