Contact: Josh Holly; 202.226.3988
Stephanie Nigro (McHugh); 202.225.4611
Opening Statement of Congressman John M. McHugh
Military Personnel Subcommittee Hearing on the Future of the Military Health System
WASHINGTON, D.C. – Congressman John M. McHugh (R-NY), the Ranking Republican on the Military Personnel Subcommittee, today released the following opening statement for the subcommittee’s hearing on the future of the military health system:
“Thank you Ms. Davis. For several years the Department of Defense (DOD) has raised concerns about the rising cost of health care and the challenge of maintaining the viability of the military health system over the long term. I share those concerns. We must seek reasonable solutions for ensuring the availability of world class military health care, not only to our returning wounded and injured and their families, but to future generations of brave young men and women who answer the call to serve our nation.
“I am disappointed, however, that for the third year in a row the budget request proposes TRICARE fee increases and significantly reduces the budget for the Defense Health Program in the hope of Congressional support for the increased fees. The Fiscal Year 2009 budget reduction is $1.2 billion. Let me make clear my intention to once again oppose the proposed TRICARE fee increases. How this committee will find the means to restore that $1.2 billion cut will be an especially difficult challenge because the House Budget resolution, which opposes the TRICARE fee increases, does not add funding to restore DOD’s assumed savings.
“Two years ago I expressed my concern about the Department’s over-reliance on fee increases to solve the military health system’s fiscal challenges. The John Warner National Defense Act for Fiscal Year 2007 established a task force to study the military health system and develop recommendations for additional options and a coordinated approach for delivering health care that will solidify the future of the military health system.
“Today we have the opportunity to discuss the recommendations from the Defense Task Force on the Future of Military Health Care. I am interested to hear from the witnesses how these recommendations will ensure the Department’s ability to provide care to our beneficiaries. Given the strong opposition by Congress and military beneficiaries to the DOD-proposed TRICARE fee increases, I must say that I am surprised that the task force not only recommended similar fee increases but added an enrollment fee of $120.00 for TRICARE for Life beneficiaries. I am interested to hear the task force’s rationale for these additional fees.
“I would like to express my deep appreciation to Dr. Wilensky for her leadership as co-chair of the task force and for the work she and the task force members have done to help inform the discussion on delivering the highest quality healthcare to such a deserving group of people.
“I’d also like to thank Dr. Cacssells for his leadership and his willingness to engage in open and thoughtful dialog with us as we look for reasonable solutions that will support the goal of continuing to provide world class health care to future military beneficiaries.
“I’d like to extend my welcome to Dr. Goetzel and thank him for sharing his expertise on worksite health promotion programs with us today.
“I look forward to your testimony on these issues.”
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