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White House Targets Brain Injuries. First Lady Michelle Obama
announced a program that would expand the existing pool of civilian and military mental health providers to help diagnose
and treat the signature wounds of the wars in Iraq and Afghanistan.
Important Dates for 2012. Some key dates are coming up as Congress and the Administration face an important year.
Fact or Fiction: Congressional Benefits. MOAA sees plenty of claims about Congressional compensation and benefits. We try to sort out the facts from
the fiction.
White House Targets Brain Injuries
On Wednesday,
the First Lady announced a new initiative that involves 130 medical schools across the country that are committed to helping
train more civilian and military doctors to care for troops and veterans with psychological and traumatic brain injuries (TBI).
The collaborative program is being led by the Association of American Medical Colleges and the American Association
of Colleges of Osteopathic Medicine. Through an interactive web hub, participating schools will be able to communicate, share
best practices, and inculcate military culture with medical knowledge across military, veteran and civilian medical institutions
to ultimately bring more resources to bear on these urgent issues facing American heroes.
The focus of the initiative
is on the health and wellness of our military, veterans and their families. “PTSD (post-traumatic stress disorder),
TBI, depression and any other combat-related mental health issues should never again be a source of shame,” remarked
Mrs. Obama.
DoD and the VA estimate that one in six combat troops are impacted by PTSD, TBI, or both.
The
majority of these individuals are seeking help in the civilian community outside of the scope and expertise of military and
VA mental health providers.
“With many of these veterans expected to live 50 to 70 years after leaving the
military, we must have a long-term commitment to taking care of these folks, that means meeting veterans where they are if
we are going to have a positive impact on their health and well being,” said Navy Captain Brad Cooper, Executive Director
for the White House Joining Forces Initiative during a follow-on conference.
MOAA fully supports this expansion
of mental health training and outreach.
"Seek help, don't bury it," Mrs. Obama said. "Asking for
help is a sign of strength.”
Important Dates for 2012
Here is an estimated
timeline of when important actions will occur in the second session of the 112th Congress:
Mid February: The President
will submit his annual budget proposals to Congress. On or before this date we’ll find out exactly what the Pentagon
and Administration will propose in order to cut $450 billion in defense spending over the next decade. Pay freezes, manpower
cuts, TRICARE fee increases, retirement changes, and more could be included in the proposal.
Late March: Six weeks
after the President delivers his budget to Congress, congressional committees are required to submit their “views and
estimates” of spending and revenues within their respective jurisdictions to the House and Senate Budget Committees.
April: House and Senate Budget Committees draft and mark up concurrent resolution on the budget, which sets spending
limits for the year. April 15 is the deadline for completion of action on the budget resolution (though partisan and fiscal
differences have precluded approval of a formal budget resolution in recent years, and that may prove true again in 2012.)
May: The House and Senate Armed Services Committees will likely begin work on the FY2013 Defense Authorization Bill,
including any changes that may be imposed by budget resolution spending limits.
May-July: Full House and Senate
pass their respective versions of the defense bill.
July-October: House and Senate negotiators resolve differences
between their respective versions.
October-December: Final Defense Authorization Bill passed by House and Senate
and becomes law.
November 6: Presidential and Congressional elections.
December 31: Deadline to pass
an alternative debt reduction plan in order to avoid the sequestration process that will cut another $600 billion from defense
spending over the next decade.
Fact or Fiction: Congressional Benefits Approval ratings for Congress are at a historic low, and our members often ask us what sort
of benefits legislators enjoy.
The following information isn't presented to defend Congressional perks, but only
to dispel some myths that perpetually float around the internet. If we're to have credibility defending military programs,
we need to have our facts right.
Fact or Fiction:
1) Members of Congress get full pensions for life
after serving just one term.
Mostly Fiction.
The Congressional retirement system is very similar to that of federal civilians. It’s true that a member of Congress
can become eligible for retirement benefits after a minimum of 5 years of service if they’re age 62 or older, but only
for a partial pension.
To qualify for a pension a member of Congress must meet one of the following service and
age requirements: - 5 years of service and age 62
- 20 years of service and age 50
- 25 years of service
at any age
Like the military retirement system, Congressional retirement pay is calculated on a combination of their average high-three
years of salary and a multiplier based on their length of service.
It’s also worth pointing out that members
of Congress contribute to their own retirement and pay Social Security taxes. Once retired their Cost of Living Adjustments
(COLA) are sometimes held artificially below the Consumer Price Index (CPI) which measures inflation.
Since the
Congressional retirement system was overhauled in 1984 (to be less generous) the average annual pension is roughly $40,000.
2) Members of Congress don’t pay for their healthcare.
Fiction.
Members of Congress and their staffs are eligible for the same health insurance as federal civilians, and they pay the same
premiums. They can enroll in any insurance program offered under the Federal Employee Health Benefits Program (FEHBP).
One of the most popular plans under FEHBP (the Blue Cross Blue Shield Standard plan) costs beneficiaries $430 a month
for a family, and $185 a month for individual coverage.
Starting in 2014, members of Congress and their staffs
will be required to participate in the health care exchanges created under national health care reform.
3) Legislators
receive free health care at military facilities such as Walter Reed.
Fiction.
Members of Congress can receive care at the new Walter Reed National Military Medical Center, but the cost of such care is
billed to their federal insurance.
4) Congress votes themselves pay increases every year.
Mostly Fiction. The law authorizes Congress a raise every year unless
legislators vote to stop it.
Congress voted to forgo a pay raise in 2010, 2011, and 2012. Congressional pay increases
are capped lower than the military raise. While military raises are tied to the average American’s (the Employment Cost
Index), congressional raises are capped one-half percentage point below that.
In 2012 members of Congress will
collect a salary of $174,000 (Congressional leaders receive more).
Legislative Update - January 20, 2012 COLA Chill Continues
Inflation continued its slow but steady decline in December. For the month the Consumer Price Index dipped nearly
0.3%, marking the third consecutive month of negative inflation. Since the start of the fiscal year, inflation is down nearly
0.5%. Keep tabs on month-to-month inflation trends on MOAA’s COLA Watch webpage. | |
Grappling With DoD Healthcare CostsThe Pentagon is putting the final
touches on a soon to be released report providing a new perspective on the rising cost of military medical care - and most
importantly options on how to save money without shifting costs to beneficiaries through fee increases. Medicare/TRICARE Cut LoomsLegislators began to trickle back
into Washington this week. They face a full plate in the coming months, but their first priority should be sorting out a long
term solution to avoid drastic cuts in Medicare and TRICARE payments to doctors. DFAS and Your Tax DocumentsThe Defense Finance and Accounting
Service has posted the electronic and postal delivery schedule of 2011 tax statements for military service members, military
retirees and annuitants. Delivery began in mid-December and continues through January with all customers receiving their W-2s
and 1099Rs by January 31. Grappling With DoD Healthcare CostsThe Pentagon is putting the final touches on a soon to be released
report providing a new perspective on the rising cost of military medical care. Most importantly the report focuses on options
to save money without shifting costs to beneficiaries through fee increases.Former Defense Secretary Robert Gates repeatedly bemoaned that "health care
costs are eating the Defense Department alive." The fact is that over the past decade, U.S. health care costs have grown
substantially, and the military health system’s costs have been no exception. The Pentagon reported that health care
costs have more than doubled from $19 billion in 2001 to $52.5 billion requested for fiscal year 2012.After more than ten years of war and the associated costs of readiness
and force health protection, some of the cost-growth is understandable.But there are also tremendous inefficiencies and duplication in the military health care system.According to former Maine Governor John Baldacci,
who was appointed to provide the review and an independent assessment of the military health system, "We need to bring
things under control and change the way we are doing business."He believes the design of the current military medical infrastructure has not kept pace with the rapid
changes in healthcare delivery. "Instead of placing the rising costs of TRICARE and military medicine onto the beneficiary,
the system inefficiency should be addressed first," stated Baldacci.MOAA finds this approach refreshing, but we'll need to see the final recommendations before we can jump
on board. Medicare/TRICARE Cut LoomsLegislators began to trickle back into Washington this week, and they face a full
plate in 2012.A long term debt reduction
plan remains the most divisive and elusive issue, and it will likely dominate the proceedings of the 2nd session of the 112th
Congress.If Congress can come to a
debt reduction agreement this year it can stave off the automatic debt reduction trigger - sequestration - that would lead
to massive cuts in defense spending, and almost certainly disproportionately whack the military community with the brunt of
spending cuts.In the more immediate
future Congress will need to pass a long term "doc fix" without which Medicare/TRICARE payments to doctors would
be cut by more than 27%. The current extension expires at the end of February.Now's the time to kick off your 2012 grass roots advocacy efforts
by sending your legislators a MOAA-suggested message asking them to pass a long term "doc fix" and protect access to health care for military families and retirees. DFAS and Your Tax Documents Defense Finance and Accounting Service has released the electronic and postal delivery schedule of 2011 tax statements
for military servicemembers, military retirees and annuitants. Delivery began in mid-December and continues through January
with all customers receiving their W-2s and 1099Rs by January 31.Most online tax statements will be available on DFAS' myPay site a week or more before delivery via mail. 2011 tax
statement myPay and USPS mail schedule: | Form/Document | Date
Available on myPay | Dates
Mailed VIA USPS | | Retiree Account
Statement (RAS) | 12/4/2011 | 12/19/2011 - 1/10/2012 | | Retiree 1099R | 12/15/2011 | 12/19/2011 - 1/10/2012 | | Annuitant Account
Statement (AAS) | 12/14/2011 | 12/19/2011 - 12/31/2011 | | Annuitant 1099R | 12/14/2011 | 12/19/2011 - 12/31/2011 | | Active Duty Air
Force, Army, Navy W-2 | 1/24/2012 | 1/24/2012 - 1/29/2012 | | Reserve Air Force, Army, Navy W-2 | 1/6/2012 | 1/6/2012 - 1/9/2012 | | Marine Corps Active & Reserve W-2 | 1/16/2012 | 1/19/2012 - 1/21/2012 | | Military VSI/SSB
W-2 | Not available via myPay | 1/4/2012 - 1/5/2012 | | Savings Deposit Program 1099INT | 1/21/2012 | 1/21/2012 - 1/22/2012 |
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An "Extra Special
Interest Group"
Budget critics perpetually attack the "special interest groups" that lobby Congress and make big political
donations to protect, preserve, and enhance their own share of the budget pie at the taxpayers' expense. Among those who propose significant cutbacks in defense spending, some
point to the advocacy of military associations (often citing MOAA as lead example) as the cause of significant recent personnel
and compensation cost growth.In his
January "As I See It" column, MOAA Government Relations Director Colonel Steve Strobridge asks if MOAA and its partners deserve this distinction. His
answer may surprise you. | | |
White House Targets Brain InjuriesFirst Lady Michelle Obama announced
a program that would expand the existing pool of civilian and military mental health providers to help diagnose and treat
the signature wounds of the wars in Iraq and Afghanistan. Important Dates for 2012Some key dates are coming up as Congress
and the Administration face an important year. Fact or Fiction: Congressional BenefitsMOAA sees plenty of claims about Congressional
compensation and benefits. We try to sort out the facts from the fiction. White House Targets Brain InjuriesOn Wednesday, the First Lady announced a new initiative that involves 130 medical
schools across the country that are committed to helping train more civilian and military doctors to care for troops and veterans
with psychological and traumatic brain injuries (TBI).The collaborative program is being led by the Association of American Medical Colleges and the American
Association of Colleges of Osteopathic Medicine. Through an interactive web hub, participating schools will be able to communicate,
share best practices, and inculcate military culture with medical knowledge across military, veteran and civilian medical
institutions to ultimately bring more resources to bear on these urgent issues facing American heroes.The focus of the initiative is on the health and wellness of our military,
veterans and their families. "PTSD (post-traumatic stress disorder), TBI, depression and any other combat-related mental
health issues should never again be a source of shame," remarked Mrs. Obama.DoD and the VA estimate that one in six combat troops are impacted by PTSD,
TBI, or both. The majority of these individuals are seeking help in the civilian community outside of the scope and expertise
of military and VA mental health providers."With many of these veterans expected to live 50 to 70 years after leaving the military, we must have a long-term
commitment to taking care of these folks, that means meeting veterans where they are if we are going to have a positive impact
on their health and well being," said Navy Captain Brad Cooper, Executive Director for the White House Joining Forces
Initiative during a follow-on conference.MOAA
fully supports this expansion of mental health training and outreach."Seek help, don't bury it," Mrs. Obama said. "Asking for help is a sign of strength." Important Dates for 2012Here is an estimated timeline of when important actions will occur in the second
session of the 112th Congress:Mid
February: The President will submit his annual budget proposals to Congress. On or before this date we'll find out exactly
what the Pentagon and Administration will propose in order to cut $450 billion in defense spending over the next decade. Pay
freezes, manpower cuts, TRICARE fee increases, retirement changes, and more could be included in the proposal.Late March: Six weeks after the President delivers
his budget to Congress, congressional committees are required to submit their "views and estimates" of spending
and revenues within their respective jurisdictions to the House and Senate Budget Committees.April: House and Senate Budget Committees draft and mark up concurrent
resolution on the budget, which sets spending limits for the year. April 15 is the deadline for completion of action on the
budget resolution (though partisan and fiscal differences have precluded approval of a formal budget resolution in recent
years, and that may prove true again in 2012.)May: The House and Senate Armed Services Committees will likely begin work on the FY2013 Defense Authorization Bill,
including any changes that may be imposed by budget resolution spending limits.May-July: Full House and Senate pass their respective versions of the defense bill.July-October: House and Senate negotiators resolve
differences between their respective versions.October-December: Final Defense Authorization Bill passed by House and Senate and becomes law.November 6: Presidential and Congressional elections.December 31: Deadline to pass an alternative debt reduction plan in
order to avoid the sequestration process that will cut another $600 billion from defense spending over the next decade. Fact or Fiction: Congressional Benefits Approval ratings for Congress are at a historic low, and our members often ask us what sort of benefits
legislators enjoy.The following information
isn't presented to defend Congressional perks, but only to dispel some myths that perpetually float around the internet. If
we're to have credibility defending military programs, we need to have our facts right.Fact or Fiction:1) Members of Congress get full pensions for life after serving just one term. Mostly Fiction. The
Congressional retirement system is very similar to that of federal civilians. It's true that a member of Congress can become
eligible for retirement benefits after a minimum of 5 years of service if they're age 62 or older, but only for a partial
pension.To qualify for a pension a
member of Congress must meet one of the following service and age requirements: - 5 years of service and age 62
- 20 years of service and age 50
- 25 years of service at any age
Like the military retirement system, Congressional retirement pay is calculated
on a combination of their average high-three years of salary and a multiplier based on their length of service.It's also worth pointing out that members of Congress
contribute to their own retirement and pay Social Security taxes. Once retired their Cost of Living Adjustments (COLA) are
sometimes held artificially below the Consumer Price Index (CPI) which measures inflation.Since the Congressional retirement system was overhauled in 1984 (to
be less generous) the average annual pension is roughly $40,000.2) Members of Congress don’t pay for their healthcare. Fiction. Members of Congress and their staffs are eligible
for the same health insurance as federal civilians, and they pay the same premiums. They can enroll in any insurance program
offered under the Federal Employee Health Benefits Program (FEHBP).One of the most popular plans under FEHBP (the Blue Cross Blue Shield Standard plan) costs beneficiaries
$430 a month for a family, and $185 a month for individual coverage.Starting in 2014, members of Congress and their staffs will be required to participate in the health care
exchanges created under national health care reform.3) Legislators receive free health care at military facilities such as Walter Reed. Fiction. Members
of Congress can receive care at the new Walter Reed National Military Medical Center, but the cost of such care is billed
to their federal insurance.4)
Congress votes themselves pay increases every year. Mostly Fiction. The law authorizes Congress a raise every year unless legislators
vote to stop it.Congress voted to
forgo a pay raise in 2010, 2011, and 2012. Congressional pay increases are capped lower than the military raise. While military
raises are tied to the average American's (the Employment Cost Index), congressional raises are capped one-half percentage
point below that.In 2012 members of
Congress will collect a salary of $174,000 (Congressional leaders receive more). |
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This is MOAA's LEGISLATIVE UPDATE for
Friday, January 6, 2012. -------------------------------------------------------------- Troops-Pay-Healthcare
Cuts Coming. The President and SecDef outlined a plan this week to cut $450 billion in defense spending over the next
decade. No specifics were provided, but troop strength, pay, and health care cuts will certainly be key pieces of the
"plan ahead." --------------------------------------------------------------
Troops-Pay-Healthcare Cuts Coming On Thursday,
President Obama and Secretary of Defense Leon Panetta presented an outline that shifts greater attention to the Pacific theater
while reshaping the uniformed services to become smaller, more agile, and cheaper in the years ahead. The eight page report,
Sustaining U.S. Global Leadership: Priorities
for the 21st Century, was short on specifics of just how the defense department would carry out the $450 billion in cuts over
the next 10 years (and potentially another half trillion dollars under sequestration) and neither the President nor the Secretary
were willing to provide any real details. Panetta outlined that the cuts would be made in a way that would
follow four overarching principles: Maintain the world's finest military; Avoid hollowing out the force; Generate savings in a balanced manner with everything on the table, including politically sensitive areas; and, Preserve
a high quality All-Volunteer Force and not breaking faith with our men and women in uniform or their families. Panetta
went on, stating the "country is at a strategic turning point after a decade of war and, therefore we are shaping a joint
force for the future that will be smaller and leaner, but will be agile, flexible, ready, and technologically advanced." The specifics of their
proposal likely won't be known until the President submits his budget request in mid-February. But it was abundantly
clear that there would be major changes to nearly all facets of defense programs and forces - including end strength and personnel
costs. A considerable force drawdown is certain over the next decade - particularly for the Army and the
Marines. Pay and health care cuts are also likely part of the plan as the report calls for "reducing the growth of compensation
and health care costs." It's safe to assume that some sort of pay freeze or reduced annual pay raises and health care
fee increases will make its way into February proposal. Panetta acknowledged in his opening statement that "savings...will
likely provoke opposition from parts of Congress, industry, and advocacy groups."
And he's correct. There's no doubt that
government spending needs to be curbed to reduce our nation's debt, but MOAA is concerned that these cuts, coupled with sequestration,
will put a disproportionate burden on those who have already sacrificed so much in service to our nation. Additionally,
MOAA believes the Pentagon plan has their priorities reversed. The new strategy garners big savings from personnel programs
and troop cuts, yet is relatively silent on any savings from eliminating redundant programs or improving management and cost
overruns of high-profile programs. Hopefully, the President's Budget submission will contain such improvements - but we're not holding
our breath. We'll provide more details when they become available.
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October 7, 2011 • Terry HowellOur friends at the Military
Officers Association of America maintain a constant watch on the factors that determine
the cost of living adjustment for military retirement
pay, VA compensation and pension, and social security benefits.According to MOAA, the inflation rate rose 0.3% in August. This
marks several months of steady inflation increases, which will most likely result in a 2012 COLA rate
of 3.7%. This will mark the first COLA increase in two years.However, there is a proposal to change the basis for COLA to the Chain Consumer Price Index for All Urban Consumers (or C-CPI-U).
According to Tom Philpott, adopting the Chain CPI to adjust entitlements has been recommended
by every group looking for ways to address the federal debt crisis. The new index could reduce the COLA by
.3% with a 2012 COLA rate closer to 3.4%.
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