Amendment to Healthcare
by Joe Wilson on July 17, 2009FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
July 16, 2009
WASHINGTON – Congressman Joe Wilson (R-SC) delivered the following statement this evening during debate over his amendment to protect TRICARE for our military, veterans, and their families from the Democrat government takeover of our health care system.
“The purpose of this amendment is to shield the men and women of our armed forces from onerous mandates and possible coverage deterioration as a result of this bill’s complex new health care governing scheme. Specifically, I believe we must exempt TRICARE from the “pay or play” employer mandate and other benefit mandates that would place an additional burden on this program that serves military personnel and their families.
“As a 31-year Army Guard and Reserve veteran, I know the importance of TRICARE. I know it is important for the military personnel and families at the bases I represent at Fort Jackson, Parris Island, the Marine Corps Air Station at Beaufort, and Beaufort Naval Hospital. I am grateful to have four sons now serving in the military, and I know that their families appreciate the availability of TRICARE.
“Currently, TRICARE provides world class health care to 9.4 million beneficiaries who currently serve or have served this nation. The number of individuals who choose to enroll in TRICARE continues to rise because TRICARE is a low cost, comprehensive health plan that is portable and available in some form world-wide. TRICARE has been steadily improving since it was implemented in 1996, promoted by my predecessor the late Armed Services Committee Chairman Floyd Spence. In fact, in 2008 TRICARE was rated the best health care insurer in the nation according to the Wilson Health Information survey of customer satisfaction. TRICARE also received stellar marks on the 2007 annual federal government report from the 2007American Customer Satisfaction Index (ACSI).
“I believe TRICARE is one part of our health care system that’s working. The President and Congressional Democrats have said repeatedly that if you like what you have, you can keep it. I believe that our military personnel and their families do like what they have, and that’s why this amendment is needed to ensure that they can keep it.
“Unfortunately, this legislation’s broad definition of “employment-based health plan” appears to include TRICARE, which means its complex new system of mandates and penalties would apply to the Department of Defense.
“This may have been inadvertent on the part of the majority. After all, changes that impact TRICARE are always debated in a bipartisan way in the House Armed Services Committee. It is an honor for me to serve with Chairwoman Susan Davis as the Ranking Member on the Military Personnel Subcommittee. It would be unprecedented for us to make a change of this magnitude without consideration of the consequences for the DOD and our military personnel.
“In order to correct what may have been an unintentional error, my amendment simply clarifies that TRICARE is not subject to H.R. 3200’s new mandate and penalty scheme or any other elements of the legislation. It’s about allowing our brave soldiers, sailors, airmen and Marines to keep what they have.
“If anyone claims that the bill is not intended to cover TRICARE, it is all the more critical that they vote for this simple clarifying amendment to make sure that the bill is absolutely clear on this point.”
8 Responses to “Amendment to Healthcare”
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Joe –
TRICARE must be exempt!!! There are thousands and thousands of Americans who are supportive of you, and who believe that this healthcare bill must be defeated, as it is written!!! We believe that this president knows what he is doing and is systematically destroying what so many servicemen and women have sacrificed to protect, and continue to do this in Iraq and Afganistan!!! I am a professional, 60 yrs old woman, not a crazed, paranoid individual who loves history and the law and is well aware that the face of America today will change overnight – and that we will be one of those countries that will be read about in the history books of having such a rich and embracing society, only to be destroyed overnight because of a handful of those who hate another political party and want to try an experiment!!!
Again – thank you – Kris Peat, Alabama
Simple solution……if Tricare is so great and it is government run…then Tricare for all!!!!! If it is good enough for the Wilson family it is good enough for my children. What is the dilemma?
[...] a 31-year Army Guard and Reserve veteran, I know the importance of TRICARE,” he said in a press release. “The number of individuals who choose to enroll in TRICARE continues to rise because [...]
[...] provides world class health care,” said Wilson in a press release. “I believe TRICARE is one part of our health care system that’s [...]
We are both old vertrans who not able to read the HR 1000 pages. Please
help us keep the tricare we have earned in our 35 years of combined service defending our country.
thanks
After searching for this information, I will have to say most people agree with you on this topic.
I worry about the Proposed Healthcare Plan. Can it create costly changes to my families standard of living? Do the positives outweigh the bad changes?
I have reservations about the Obama Healthcare Plan. Can it create dehabilitating changes on my mothers budget? Do the benefits outweigh the negatives?