MOAA LEGISLATIVE UPDATES

Issue 1: Rumsfeld Raises Veto Threat.

The Secretary of Defense told Congress this week that he'll fight any effort to enact concurrent receipt or extend health coverage options to the Guard and Reserve.

The Secretary of Defense sent another emphatic message this week that he opposes spending any more money on health care or disabled retirees.

His July 8 "heartburn letter" to House and Senate Armed Services Committee leaders said he would "join other senior advisors to the President in recommending that he veto the FY2004 Defense Authorization Bill if it includes Senate-passed provisions authorizing concurrent receipt of military retirement pay and veterans' disability compensation benefits, or expands TRICARE." It said he'd also recommend a veto if the defense bill includes any change that would hamper a new round of base closures in 2005.

Issue 2: Discharge Petition Update

The signature total for Rep. Jim Marshall's (D-GA) concurrent receipt discharge petition remains at 201, but that doesn't mean the issue is going away-quite the opposite.

Legislators are being deluged by messages in support of the petition. Those co-sponsors of H.R. 303 who have not signed on are finding it harder and harder to explain their paradoxical behavior to their constituents. Many who haven't yet signed are putting pressure on the House leadership to work out a substantive concurrent receipt deal.

Now is no time to let up. You can use MOAA's Web site to send a prepared message to your representative, asking for his or her support: http://capwiz.com/moaa/home/. Alternatively, you can use MOAA's toll-free Capitol Hill Hotline (1-877-762-8762).

Issue 3: House Passes Defense Appropriations Bill.

On Tuesday, 8 July, the House passed the FY 2004 Defense Appropriations bill by a wide margin. The Senate is expected to take up the measure next week, after which a conference committee will have to resolve the difference between the two versions.

18 July 2003

Issue 1: Senate Passes Defense Appropriations Bill

No funding for Reserve health care, but hope for action next year.

Issue 2: COLA Watch

The CPI has turned in six positive months and three

The fact that Congress has not yet acted on concurrent receipt does not mean nothing is happening. In fact, legislators are feeling the heat more than ever, and now is the time to redouble our efforts.

We're getting indications that several Republicans have said that if their leadership doesn't take positive action by September, they'll sign the discharge petition. So, even if you get a negative or noncommittal response, don't let up-keep reminding your legislators that you expect substantive action this year, and elected officials need to back up their words with action.

Issue 2: VA to Fill Outside Prescriptions.

The VA Secretary announced this week that certain veterans enrolled in VA care but stuck on long waiting lists will be allowed to have their private physician prescriptions filled by the VA beginning in September.

For the first time in its 130-plus year history, the VA will begin to fill drug prescriptions for certain veterans on its waiting lists, beginning in September. Until now, veterans accepted for enrollment in the huge VA health care system could only fill drug prescriptions written by VA physicians.

With the VA Secretary's announcement on Thursday, certain veterans will be able to get their outside or private physician prescriptions filled by a VA pharmacy. No VA appointment will be needed, but the VA emphasized that it urges these veterans to follow up with a scheduled appointment.

To be eligible for the new benefit, veterans must meet all of the following conditions:

* Have enrolled in VA health care by July 25, 2003;

* Requested their first primary care appointment with VA by July 25, 2003; and

* Must be waiting more than 30 days for their first appointment with a primary care physician as of Sept. 22, 2003.

The first prescriptions will be filled under the new program on September 22. Eligible veterans will be unable to get prescriptions filled before that date. The period between announcement of the program (July 25) and filling the first prescriptions (Sept. 22) is necessary to allow VA to identify and contact eligible veterans and to put new systems and procedures in place to deliver this benefit.