Rounds Seeks to Protect Rural Military Retirees From Higher Prescription Drug Costs
WASHINGTON—U.S. Senator Mike Rounds (R-S.D.) today delivered remarks on the Senate floor regarding an amendment he introduced to the National Defense Authorization Act (NDAA) currently being debated on the Senate floor. Rounds’ amendment would change a provision in the current NDAA bill that requires military retirees and their families who get their prescription drugs from a retail pharmacy or through mail order to pay even more than now, while those who obtain them from a Military Treatment Facility continue to get them for free. Under Rounds’ amendment, military retirees and their families who live more than 40 miles from a Military Treatment Facility would be exempt from the proposed higher copays.
“This provision was inserted as a cost-saving measure, and I understand we have to make tough budget decisions,” said Rounds on the senate floor. “But this arbitrary cost-cutting measure is estimated to cost our military retiree families in rural areas $2 billion dollars over the next 10 years. I don’t think it’s fair for us to make those who live in rural areas – like many of us in South Dakota – pay a higher copay because of where they live.”
Rounds’ remarks, as prepared for delivery:
Mr. President, as the senate considers the National Defense Authorization Act, the NDAA, I rise today to discuss an amendment in support of my constituents who are military retirees as well as military retirees in many other states.
My amendment would change a provision being proposed in this bill that requires military retirees and their families, who don’t have easy access to a Military Treatment Facility, such as on a base, from unfairly paying higher copays for their prescription medications.
TRICARE provides health care services for our service members, our military retirees and their families.
Using TRICARE, military retirees can get free prescription drugs at a Military Treatment Facility.
In other words, our military retirees who live close to a base have no copays for their prescription drugs.
However, if they draw these prescriptions from a retail pharmacy or through the TRICARE-approved mail order system, they are required to make a copayment.
My amendment deals with a provision in today’s bill that directs the Department of Defense, or DOD, to increase these copayments that military retirees obtain from a retail pharmacy or through mail order, rather than from a Military Treatment Facility.
The provision will require those military retirees who live far away from a base - without easy access to a Military Treatment Facility to get their prescriptions - to pay more for their use of retail pharmacies and mail order.
Why would anybody seek to make it more expensive for our military retirees to receive a benefit they have been promised just because they live far away from a Military Treatment Facility?
This provision was inserted as a cost-saving measure, and I understand we have to make tough budget decisions.
But this arbitrary cost-cutting measure is estimated to cost our military retiree families in rural areas $2 billion over the next 10 years.
I don’t think it’s fair for us to make those who live in rural areas – like many of us in South Dakota - pay a higher copay because of where they live.
We have made promises to these men and women, who made incredible sacrifices to protect our country, that they would be able to have adequate health care and coverage including access to prescription drugs and medicines.
It is not fair to make them bear a $2 billion cost for prescription drugs simply because of where they live.
My amendment would stipulate that if a military retiree lives more than 40 miles from a Military Treatment Facility, he or she will not be saddled with this additional copay.
Further, my amendment would require an assessment by the DOD of the added cost that would be borne by these military retirees and their families as a result of increased TRICARE prescription drug copays.
This will enable Congress to make reasonable future decisions with regard to increased TRICARE prescription drug copayments that may have a disproportionate impact on those living distant from Military Treatment Facilities.
Mr. President, I appreciate this opportunity to discuss my amendment which would rectify a serious effect on military retirees and their families.
I yield the floor.
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