Military Health Care: The Issue of "Promised" Benefits

Publication Date: January 2006

Publisher: Library of Congress. Congressional Research Service

Author(s):

Research Area: Health; Military and defense

Type:

Abstract:

Many military health care beneficiaries, particularly military retirees, their dependents, and those representing their interests, state that they were promised “free health care for life at military facilities” as part of their “contractual agreement” when they entered the armed forces. Efforts to locate authoritative documentation of such promises have not been successful. Congressional report language and recent court decisions have rejected retiree claims seeking ‘free care at military facilities’ as a right or entitlement. These have stated that the medical benefit structure made up of military health care facilities, Tricare and Medicare currently provide lifetime health care to military members, retirees and their respective dependents. Nevertheless, claims continue to be made, particularly by those seeking additional benefits from the Department of Defense, or attempting to prevent an actual or perceived reduction in benefits.

Recent changes in the availability of military benefits and eligibility for these benefits have lead to speculation that retiree out-of-pocket costs may be increased. Growth in military health care spending, it has been argued, will lead to increased competition for defense dollars. Groups representing military retirees have stated that it is among their objectives to prevent what they describe as cost-shifting from the military to the beneficiaries. Although military health care is arguably among the most generous health benefit programs available, these groups see potential increases in out-of-pocket beneficiary payments as a part of the “broken promise.”