To: Military Retiree E-mail Network

Are you checked out on the TITLE VII--HEALTH CARE portion of HR 4205? See http://personal.lig.bellsouth.net/lig/f/s/fsears/hr4205t7.htm . If you are not then look at http://www.tricare.osd.mil//ndaa/fast_facts.htm (FAST FACTS) which is an Official Web Page of the Office of the Assistant Secretary of Defense (Health Affairs) and the TRICARE Management Activity.

Do you feel that all military retirees and their eligible dependents, including widows, know about the TITLE VII--HEALTH CARE portion of HR 4205, know that they need to update their Defense Enrollment Eligibility Reporting System (DEERS) record in order to receive HR 4205 information from Tricare, know what DEERS is if they have not been using a Military Treatment Facility?

Do you feel that all Doctors and Civilian Medical Facilities that treat patients via Medicare, know about the TITLE VII--HEALTH CARE portion of HR 4205?

Do you feel that all Doctors and Civilian Medical Facilities that treat patients via Medicare will jump right on the band wagon and accept military retirees and payment via the provisions of the TITLE VII--HEALTH CARE portion of HR 4205?

Do you feel that all Doctors and Civilian Medical Facilities that have had bad experiences with Tricare will just forget the bad experiences and jump right on the band wagon and accept military retirees under Medicare with Tricare as a second payer to Medicare?

Do you feel that the Office of the Assistant Secretary of Defense (Health Affairs) and the TRICARE Management Activity is aware of all the pitfalls that may be encountered in the process of implementating the TITLE VII--HEALTH CARE portion of HR 4205?

Are you aware of pitfalls that may be encountered in the process of implementating the TITLE VII--HEALTH CARE portion of HR 4205? If you are aware of pitfalls then why not share this information at http://personal.lig.bellsouth.net/lig/f/s/fsears/i4205-00.htm

Remember this... your President, your Congress, your Assistant Secretary of Defense (Health Affairs) and the TRICARE Management Activity doesn't know everything there is to know until you tell them what YOU know. We have come too far to now lay down on the job and quit. The job is not finished until the TITLE VII--HEALTH CARE portion of HR 4205 is implemented in such a way that it will restore the medical care that was promised to the military retirees after their retirement.

Will you simply trust the system or will you do something on your own to get the word out in your community?

The letter to the editor is still the best way to get the word out in your community. In your letter just make the military retirees (and military retiree widows) aware of the TITLE VII--HEALTH CARE portion of HR 4205. In my opinion it would not be wise to try and explain the TITLE VII--HEALTH CARE portion of HR 4205, unless you really think you have all the answers. Tell the military retirees about the importance of DEERS and Medicare Part "B". If they are on the Internet then tell them about http://www.tricare.osd.mil//ndaa/fast_facts.htm .

I'm seeing e-mails about new lawsuits, new protests, new organizations, voting blocks, etc., etc., but none of this means anything unless the individual military retiree is willing to get off his/her butt and go back to work getting the word out. If you want it done right then do it yourself.

You need to tell your President (who ever that may be), your Congressperson, your Assistant Secretary of Defense (Health Affairs) and the TRICARE Management Activity that you are still here and you are WATCHING. You need to tell them to get it right the FIRST time.

PS: NO I don't think the sky is falling, but we need to be looking up.

Sincerely:
Floyd H. Sears, MSGT, USAF, 1951-1971, (Retired)

Submitted, "Fair Seas with Following Winds" YNCS Don Harribine, USN(Ret)