| |
RAO Bulletin Update
October 15, 2005
THIS BULLETIN UPDATE CONTAINS THE FOLLOWING ARTICLES:
TRICARE DEDUCIBLE/COPAY WAIVER:
In the Philippines, or anywhere else for that matter, Tricare users are the front line in preventing fraud and abuse. Those who fail to report violations in this area are aiding and abetting this growing overseas problem. Not only is there criminal liability but the monies DoD overpays these abusers takes away from available funds to pay valid claims of their shipmates. Uniformed Services beneficiaries who use TRICARE Standard and Extra are responsible, under law, to pay annual deductibles and cost-shares associated with their care. The law prohibits health care providers from waiving TRICARE beneficiary deductibles or cost-shares and requires providers to make reasonable efforts to collect these amounts. Health care providers who offer to waive deductibles and cost-shares or who advertise that they will do so may be investigated for program abuse and suspended or excluded as authorized providers. According to Rose M.Sabo, Director, "TRICARE
Program Integrity, TRICARE Management Activity, TRICARE prohibits any scheme designed to waive a patient's deductible or cost-share. One type of scheme comes in the form of a supplemental insurance program which covers copayments or deductibles only for items or services provided by the entity offering the insurance. These programs can be identified when the insurance premium' paid by the beneficiary is insignificant and the premiums so low that they are not based upon actuarial risks, but instead are a sham used to disguise the routine waiver of copayments and deductibles. Such a scam can result in excessive utilization of items and services" When Congress established beneficiary deductibles and cost-shares, their intent was to make the beneficiary a financial partner with the government. The cost-share encourages responsible beneficiary health care decisions when faced with choices, and acts to avoid waste of taxpayer dollars. Beneficiaries who have a financial risk associated with their health care decisions are more likely to choose cost-effective treatment for their medical conditions. Beneficiaries should contact their local Tricare Service Center for more information on deductibles and cost-shares. A list of Tricare Service Centers and telephone numbers is located at www.tricare.osd.mil/tricareservicecenters/default.cfm . If beneficiaries suspect provide or insurance fraud, they may report it by e-mailing fraudline@tma.osd.mil. To get TRICARE answers, assistance via E-mail, send your message to TRICARE_Help@AMEDD.ARMY.MIL or QUESTIONS@tma.osd.mil
[Source: Tricare News Milton Bell msg 26 JUN 05 ++]
back to top MEDICARE RATES 2006 UPDATE 01:
Congress has only a few weeks left in this year's legislative session to stop Medicare Law from cutting your physician payments by 4.4% on 1 JAN 06. If this cut occurs, the average Medicare physician payment rate in 2006 will be less than it was in 2001. If physicians are already refusing new Medicare patients, then this cut will hasten the process. If Congress doesn't fix the underlying payment formula, Medicare Law will slash what it pays physicians who treat America's seniors by 26% over the next six years. This means that in six years, or before, you will be hard pressed to find a physician who will accept Medicare. TRICARE reimbursement rates are directly controlled by the corresponding Medicare reimbursement rates. This means that if you are a military retiree under age 65, that this upcoming change in Medicare rates will directly impact you even though you are not yet eligible for Medicare If many physicians are already refusing TRICARE Standard patients try to think what will be the situation in six years.
Inaction by legislator's constituents will allow this bleak outlook to come to past. There are three bills in Congress-S. 1081 in the Senate and H.R. 2356 and H.R. 3617 in the House-that would protect America's patients by stopping drastic Medicare physician payment cuts over the next two years. All concerned should tell their representatives to stop Medicare physician payment cuts by supporting these bills.
[Source: USDR Action Alerts 11 OCT 04]
back to top VA MANDATORY FUNDING UPDATE 01:
On 5 OCT, Senator Debbie Stabenow (D-MI) offered an amendment to H.R. 2863, the Department of Defense Appropriations Act of 2006 which would have established a formula by which health care funding for veterans would be adjusted to account for changes in population and inflation. Senate amendment 1937 would have provided funds for VA medical care through a combination of discretionary and mandatory funds. Unlike the broken discretionary process, this would have provided a sufficient funding level in a timely manner. The amendment was defeated by a vote of 51 (50 Republicans + 1 Democrat) to 48 (5 Republicans + 42 Democrats + 1 Independent). A three-fifths majority vote (60) of the total Senate is required to waive the Budget Act. Subsequently, the chair upheld the point of order, and the amendment fell. The roll call vote is posted on the DAV web site www.dav.org or is available upon request to raoemo@mozcom.com along with letters to your Senators, based on how they voted. Delayed VA funding has become an annual event that affects all veterans under the VA program. Until those of us receiving VA medical care convince their legislators of the need for action on this issue we have only ourselves to blame for future funding deficiencies and reduced VA health care. Recommend you take a moment to communicate with , either thanking them for their favorable vote or expressing your disappointment in their unfavorable vote.
[Source: USDR Action Alert 6 OCT 05] back to top
NDAA 2006 UPDATE 05:
The Senate continues to block consideration of the FY2006 National Defense Authorization Bill (S. 1042), even though the House passed its version of the bill more than four months ago. This delay is jeopardizing hundreds of personnel, equipment, and weapons issues needed for the war effort, as well as the military pay raise, health care improvements, compensation fixes for disabled retirees and survivors, increases in family and quality of life program support, and much more. The delay so troubled the Armed Services Committee Chairman John Warner (R-VA) and Ranking Minority Member Carl Levin (D-MI) that they proposed to include most of the $491.6 billion authorization measure as an amendment to the Defense Appropriations Bill (H.R. 2863), which normally follows the authorization bill. Their effort won almost half the Senate, but failed because of leadership opposition. The proposal was defeated by a 49-50 vote. With that amendment disposed of the Senate moved quickly to pass the appropriations bill. Calls for federal assistance for Louisiana, debate over treatment of military detainees, and veto threats slowed progress but the measure passed 7 OCT 05. The legislation will provide $390 billion for the Department of Defense(DoD), an additional $50 billion to finance the war effort in Iraq and Afghanistan, and includes $100 million for military family assistance programs and National Guard counterdrug programs. The White House is threatening to veto the measure because it falls $7 billion short of the president's request Now House and Senate Appropriations Committee leaders will get together to hammer out a compromise between their different versions of the appropriations bill. But the appropriations bill can only continue funding last year's programs if there's no authorization bill to permit new ones. Should the Senate fail to finish its work on the authorization bill this year, essential provisions will have to be passed as separate legislation before funds can be spent. For example, the 3.1% pay raise for military personnel and other family benefits cannot be funded without authorizing language. It appears leadership does not want to allow debate on controversial amendments that have been offered for that bill. But refusing action on the defense bill only ensures that nothing will get done, regardless of the need. Every year, the Senate spends a week or so on the defense authorization bill and manages to deal with hundreds of amendments - including lots of controversial ones. This year, leadership has decided it doesn't want to take the time to do that. After the amendment vote failed Senator Robert Byrd (D-WV) made a telling comment when he said, "Our nation isn't at war, Our military is at war." His point was that nobody but the troops seems to be making any sacrifice or making the war effort a national priority.
[Source: MOAA Leg Up 7 Oct 05++]
back to top
TRICARE PHARMACY RATES UPDATE 05:
At a 28 SEP meeting, the DoD Beneficiary Advisory Panel (BAP) was asked to review a proposal by another DoD pharmacy panel to move several additional medications to the third tier, which means they would require a $22 copay, vs. the normal $9 TRICARE copay for brand-name drugs or $3 copay for generics. The drugs involved are:
- ACE Inhibitors: Univasc, Aceon, Accupril, and Altace (for high blood pressure).
- Calcium Channel Blockers: Verelan, Verelan PM, Covera HS, Cardizem LA, Norvasc, DynaCirc, DynaCirc CR, Cardene, and Cardene SR (a different kind of blood pressure drug).
- Alpha-blocker: Flomax (for benign prostate enlargement).Drugs are considered for the third tier when there are other drugs that are equally effective for the same purpose and significantly less costly to Tricare. Several BAP members concurred with most of the proposals, based on the availability of several other $9 options. But the panel urged against moving Altace to the third tier, since it has been shown to be particularly effective for high-risk patients. Dr. William Winkenwerder, Assistant Secretary of Defense for Health Affairs, will make the final decision. The BAP was pleased to see a minimum 120-day waiting period proposed between the final decision and actual implementation, to allow time for patients now taking these drugs to discuss other options with their doctors. But some BAP members expressed concern over the number of medications being moving to the third tier. When panel members were appointed, Defense officials intimated to them that only a small number of medications would be elevated to the third tier. But the growing number of drugs in this category means large numbers of beneficiaries will be affected. These latest proposed increases are focused on senior military beneficiaries who least can afford the increases. The BAP once again pressed Defense leaders to implement a communications plan to ensure TRICARE Standard beneficiaries are informed of such changes.
For more information on these medications, contact the retail pharmacy (TRRx) customer service line at (866) DOD-TRRX, (866) 363-8779. For The Mail Order Pharmacy (TMOP) the number is (866) DOD-TMOP, (866) 363-8667.
[Source: MOAA Leg Up 7 Oct 05] back to top
MEDICARE PART D UPDATE 02:
Starting 1 JAN 06, Medicare Part D prescription drug coverage is available to everyone with Medicare, including TRICARE beneficiaries. There are several factors Tricare beneficiaries need to consider when deciding whether to purchase a Medicare prescription drug plan. These include:
- Although enrollment in Part D is voluntary some are concerned that, at some point, Congress will make enrollment mandatory for continued participation in the Tricare Prescription Program (TPP). There is no question that Congress could do this if so inclined. However, this is very unlikely. Part D benefits and Tricare pharmacy benefits are too divergent at this time for a merger. Plus, even if Congress did make Part D mandatory it is not very unlikely Medicare would be allowed to penalize those who enrolled later than their first date of entitlement.
- For nearly all TRICARE-Medicare beneficiaries, under most circumstances , there is no added value in purchasing Medicare prescription drug coverage if you have TRICARE. The exception to this general rule may be for those with limited incomes and assets who qualify for Medicare's extra help with prescription drug plan costs. These individuals may benefit by applying for the Medicare low-income subsidy and enrolling in a Medicare prescription drug plan.
- Beneficiaries that think they may qualify for Medicare's extra help may apply for it, and still keep their TRICARE pharmacy coverage.
- TRICARE is considered creditable coverage, meaning it pays, on average, the same or more than a standard Medicare prescription drug plan. So, if beneficiaries decide not to enroll in a Medicare drug plan now, but change their minds later, they may do so without paying the late enrollment penalty. Beneficiaries will pay the enrollment premium penalty if they lose TRICARE eligibility and delay the purchase of Medicare's prescription drug coverage for 63 days or more.
- Unlike many non-DoD Medicare beneficiaries, TRICARE beneficiaries enjoy a robust pharmacy benefit with no monthly premium and minimal copays for TRICARE Retail Network Pharmacy (TRRx) and TRICARE Mail Order Pharmacy (TMOP) services and no costs for prescription drugs filled at MTFs.
- TRICARE has a comprehensive Pharmacy benefit, which does not change as a result of the new Medicare drug benefit. TRICARE continues as beneficiaries ' primary payer for prescription drugs, if they do not enroll in a Medicare Part D prescription drug plan.
- TRICARE-Medicare beneficiaries who purchase a Medicare prescription drug coverage plan must pay the monthly Medicare prescription drug coverage plan premium; TRICARE does not reimburse beneficiaries for their Medicare prescription drug premium costs. If TRICARE-Medicare beneficiaries enroll in a prescription drug plan that adds prescription coverage to the original Medicare plan, Medicare is primary and TRICARE, as second payer, will pay their out-of-pocket costs for TRICARE-covered medications and the Medicare deductible and cost shares. When beneficiaries become responsible for 100% of the drug costs under the Medicare Part D drug plan, the TRICARE pharmacy benefit becomes primary payer and the beneficiary is responsible for applicable TRICARE pharmacy copays and cost shares. Once the TRICARE catastrophic cap is met, TRICARE pays 100% for TRICARE-covered medications.
[Source: NavyTimes James Hamby article 8 AUG & Tricare Fact sheet 3] back to top
MEDICARE EXTRA HELP PROGRAM:
Individuals with low income and limited resources can enroll in Medicare's Extra Help program for assistance in paying for the Medicare prescription drug plan. Beneficiaries with an annual income below $14,355 (or $19,245 if they live with their spouse) may qualify. These amounts may be higher if beneficiaries provide at least half of the support for other relatives living in their household; or reside in Alaska and Hawaii; or work. There are also income exclusions for the working blind and disabled. For extra help with Medicare prescription drug plan costs, beneficiaries' countable resources, which are the value of their possessions, must be below $11,500 (or $23,000 if they live with a spouse), including $1,500 per person for burial expenses. Countable resources include real estate (other than primary residence); bank accounts, including checking, savings and certificates of deposit; stocks; bonds, including U.S. savings bonds; IRAs; mutual funds; and cash at home, or anywhere else. Countable resources do not include primary residence; vehicle(s); household goods and personal possessions; resources not easily converted to cash, such as farm machinery, livestock, jewelry and home furnishings; money conserved for medical and social services; federal income tax refunds; property needed for self-support, such as rental property, or land used to grow produce for home consumption; and life insurance policies owned by an individual with a combined face value of $1,500 or less. An individual and spouse may have a total of $3,000. The Social Security Administration (SSA) sent an application for extra help paying for Medicare prescription drug coverage to people with certain incomes during the summer of 2005.
Beneficiaries who did not get an application in the mail may request one by calling SSA at 1 [800] 772-1213 or apply online by visiting www.socialsecurity.gov . They may also apply at their local Medicaid office.
[Source: Tricare Fact Sheet 3 OCT 05 ++] back to top
VA PRESCRIPTION FRAUD ALERT:
It has been reported that veterans are receiving calls from a company identifying itself as the "Patient Care Group." This company is claiming that the veteran's prescriptions are now being dispensed through them and if they wanted to continue to receive their meds, they would need to provide a credit card number. Veterans are to be advised that the VA has not changed the process of receiving and dispensing prescriptions. Veterans are also advised to never give out their personal information including social security numbers and credit card numbers to any organization without first verifying their legitimacy. If you feel you may be a victim of this scam visit www.consumer.gov/idtheft/law_resources.htm to contact the appropriate law enforcement agency. To learn more about how to avoid being taken advantage by this or any other scams you should visit the Federal Trade Commission's "Identity Theft" website to learn what steps you need to take.
[Source: American Legion CT 4 Oct 05 Notice] back to top
DISASTER PREPAREDNESS:
The devastation from Hurricane Katrina has made us all stop to consider our level of disaster preparedness. Are you confident you'd know what to do in the event of an emergency? Do you have everything you need to deal with a fire, earthquake, storm, or other disaster? If your answer to either or both questions is no, now is the time to do something about it. Following are some excellent online resources to help you get started and assist you in being better prepared before disaster strikes:
- General emergency sites:
- American Red Cross at www.redcross.org : A great place to start. Filled with comprehensive information.
- Ready.gov at www.ready.gov : Another comprehensive general site, with special emphasis on terror threats.
- Protecting Your Records at http://www.redcross.org/services/ : Learn how to keep your personal and financial records safe.
- Things you can do to prepare:
- Preparing for specific disasters:
- First aid and medical care:
- Locating loved ones:
- Children and others with special needs:
- Pets:
[Source: Earthlink.net SEP 05 ++] back to top
BANKRUPTCY:
Premature death, divorce, and small business failure all can lead to filling personal bankruptcy which approximately 1.6 million Americans did in 2004. However Congress passed legislation earlier This year that will make it harder for Americans to rid themselves of debt by filing for bankruptcy. Congressional and industry backers of the legislation have been pushing for it for eight years but it repeatedly got stalled. This year, with Republican majorities increased in both the House and Senate in last November's elections, the bill's fortunes reversed. The Republican sentiment was those who can pay their bills should pay their bills. That's the American way. Majority Republicans knocked down Democratic attempts to ease the impact of the legislation on people facing huge debts they cannot pay down, including single parents, the unemployed and the ill. According to American Bankruptcy Institute estimates somewhere between 3,675 and 210,000 people annually - from 3.5% to 20% of those who currently dissolve their debts in bankruptcy - would be disqualified from doing so under the legislation,. Personal bankruptcy comes in two forms: Chapter 7 (complete debt elimination) and Chapter 13 (debt reorganization and repayment plan). The new law slated to take effect 17 OCT 05 will make it much more difficult to file for Chapter 7 bankruptcy. Major changes under this law include:
- Means Testing: Households with incomes above the state's median income for a family of four that have the ability to repay $6000 or more over 5 years will be forced to choose the less lenient Chapter 13. Those that have more than $100 a month left after court-approved expenses also will have to file Chapter 13.
- Debt Counseling: Individual debtors must obtain and show proof of qualified credit counseling within 180 days of filing for bankruptcy.
- Credit Card Purchases: Debtors are required to repay all credit card purchases made within 90 days of filing.
- Homestead Exemption: The new rules require a 2 year residency program to qualify for a full homestead exemption.
- Autos: Debtors must repay an auto loan or surrender the vehicle.
- Retirement funds: Debtors receive full protection for IRAs and Roth IRAs up to $1 million.
[Source: Military Officer SEP 05 & Marcy Gordon, AP Business Writer] back to top
TESTICULAR CANCER:
Each year about 75,000 men are diagnosed with testicular cancer in the U.S. As women fear breast cancer, men fear testicular cancer. And, as in breast cancer, patients often are the first to recognize a lump that could indicate the cancer. It is most treatable if found early. You can ask your physician if he/she recommends a monthly exam to systematically palpate the testes in search of masses or changes in texture. Be on the lookout for a painless lump or swelling. Pain generally suggests inflammation or infection, not cancer.
Sometimes men note a general swelling or heaviness in their scrotum. If anything is found your doctor might order blood tests to look for tumor markers. An ultrasound can determine the size and specific location of a mass and better characterize it. A solid tissue mass suggests cancer. If the lump or swelling looks suspicious to the clinician, a biopsy called an orchiectomy is normally recommended. This involves removing the entire affected testis and examining its tissue under a microscope to look for cancerous cells. The entire testis must be removed because if only part were removed, cancerous cells could be scattered which could seed the tumor and spread it to other areas. If the other testis is unaffected it is not removed and could continue to function normally.
Treatment varies based on how advanced the cancer is, how far it has spread, and what type of cells are found in the biopsy. Options include surgical removal of the affected testis (if not done in the biopsy); radiation therapy depending upon tumor type; and chemotherapy to kill any cancer cells remaining after surgery or to attack a tumor that has spread too far for surgery to be helpful. Because testicular cancer generally affects men between the age of 15 and 39, hormonal balances, sexual function, and the ability to father children are of great concern. If surgery involves removal of the lymph nodes, the surgeon can use nerve sparing techniques to minimize the risk of impotence. Radiation and chemotherapy can reduce sperm count for a year or two. There is a risk these complications could be permanent, and some men choose to bank their sperm before surgery to ensure they can father children I the future. Testicular cancer has an excellent prognosis when diagnosed early. Those at greatest risk are men who have had it in the past, men with an undescended testicle, and men whose father or brother has had it.
[Source: Military Officer Ask the doctor article SEP 05] back to top
VA PRESCRIPTION REFILLS ONLINE:
The Department of Veterans Affairs has added online prescription refill service to its My HealtheVet (MHV) web site at https://www.myhealth.va.gov. To use Online Refill, VA patients must have prescriptions written by VA doctors that have been filled at least once at a VA pharmacy, and need to register for an MHV account. Register by clicking on "Register Now" at the MHV web site. Once registered, log in and click on "My Care." Then under "My Prescriptions," either click on "View Prescription History" or "Refill Prescriptions." You must be a registered My HealtheVet user to view your prescription history. There are no limits on the number of prescription refills that can be submitted on a given day. However, the same prescription can not be submitted multiple times. If the VA pharmacy is unable to refill the prescription as requested, you will receive a message on screen directing you to contact the issuing VA pharmacy. The delivery method for a prescription refilled online will be CMOP - the Consolidated Mail Out Pharmacy. If you prefer to pick up your refill in person, continue to use the telephone or mail refill services in lieu of the MHV service.
[Source: Armed Forces News Issue 23 SEP 05++] back to top
BLOG:
This is a term that has recently started being used on the internet in website names and News sources. "Blog" is short for "weblog," A weblog is usually defined as a personal or noncommercial web site that uses a dated log format (usually with the most recent addition at the top of the page) and contains links to other web sites along with commentary about those sites. A weblog is updated frequently and sometimes groups links by specific subjects, such as politics, news, pop culture, orcomputer issues. Before software was widely available most weblogs were hand-coded by web developers and others who taught themselves HTML. Newer programs now make it easy for anyone to create their own weblog. Blogs are like personal telephone calls crossed with newspapers. They're a tool for sharing the originator's opinions with others through inclusion of items that support that opinion. They uphold the basic tenets of democracy by letting the public know of governmental issues that do or could affect them.
[Source: Webmaster of www.presidentbushblog.com SEP 05 ++] back to top
VA FILIPINO HEALTH CARE:
On 6 DEC 03, President Bush signed into law the "Veterans Health Care, Capital Asset, and Business Improvement Act of 2003" which enhances the eligibility of certain World War II Filipino veterans for VA health care benefits. These vets are now eligible for enrollment in the VA health care on the same basis as U.S. vets. This eligibility extends to:
- Filipino Commonwealth Army Veterans,
- New Filipino Scouts, and
- Veterans recognized as belonging to organized Filipino Guerilla Forces who reside in the United States and who are citizens or lawfully admitted for permanent residence. Old Filipino Scouts are also eligible for VA health care benefits; however, they do not have to meet the citizenship and residency requirements. Service-connected Filipino veterans receiving VA disability compensation at the full-dollar rate do not have to furnish proof to qualify for the benefit. Other Filipino veterans must provide one of the following pieces of evidence to be eligible for this benefit:
- A valid U.S. passport. A birth certificate showing he or she was born in the U.S.
- A Report of Birth Abroad of a Citizen of the U.S. issued by a U.S. consulate abroad
- Verification by the U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services to VA that the Filipino veteran is a naturalized citizen of the U.S.
- Verification by the U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services to VA that a veteran is an alien lawfully admitted for permanent residence in the U.S.
VA is not authorized to provide health care benefits to Filipino veterans who do not qualify for enrollment in the VA health care system based upon the requirements noted above. Service-connected Filipino veterans who meet the U.S. citizen/residency requirements are eligible for treatment for any condition at the VA Clinic in the Philippines.
To find out more about enrollment benefits, potential copayment requirements and how to apply for enrollment refer to http://www1.va.gov/elig, call VA's Health Benefits Service Center toll-free at 1(877)222-8387 or Contact the Enrollment Coordinator at your local VA health care facility. [Source: Navy Retiree Council member Richard Morell msg DEC 03] back to top
CONGRESSIONAL COMMUNICATION HINTS:
One of the many aspects of living in the U.S. is that we can have a direct influence on the way we are governed. To do so, you need to become your own advocate with Congress. They do listen to their constituents and care about constituent opinions. But to be effective, you must communicate properly with your representatives and senators. Members of Congress are people, too, and as you would react negatively to someone who sent you an angry or threatening letter, so do they. Your congressional communications can be as effective as you wish them to be, all you have to do is take a little time to know your issue, be civil, to the point, and be reasonable.
So to be effective, you need to follow some guidelines that are founded on civility and common sense:
If you do not have a personal, first-name relationship with a member of Congress or one of their staff members, the way you guarantee that your communication will be effective is to make sure the receiving office instantly can identify you as a constituent. If they can't, there is an high probability your communication will be discarded without being read. Start each communication with your name and address at the very top in the format: Ms. John Doe, 123 Main Street, Wabash, IN 98765.
When writing a member of Congress it's important to use the proper salutation. For senators it's "Dear Senator" (and the senator's last name: Dear Senator McCain:). For members of the House of Representatives the way to address female members of the House is "Congresswoman" and male members is "Congressman". However, using "Dear Representative" is acceptable. If you are sending a letter, fax or e-mail already prepared for you, take a minute to put the message into your own words.
Remember, courteously written communications are more likely to be read and have positive impact than a page or two of ravings and rantings. Some other key points to remember in writing to your legislators are:
- Be courteous and respectful in all communications. Don't use threats.
- Know your issue Request documents from your organization that provide background information on the issue and the elected official you wish to contact. This can be particularly helpful in drafting letters. If you are doing this on your own, do your homework to be knowledgeable in your communication.
- Keep your comments brief, pertinent, and factual. Cover only one issue per letter. Explain how the issue would affect you and/or your organization .
- Limit your comments to one page or two at most. Elected officials hear from hundreds of constituents daily so a brief letter is more effective than a multi-page one.
- Identify the subject in the first paragraph. If you are writing in reference to a particular bill, refer to the measure's House or Senate bill number and/or title, if possible.
- Be reasonable. Don't ask the impossible.
- Be constructive, not negative. If a bill deals with a problem, but seems to represent the wrong solution, propose constructive alternatives . Recognize that you might have to compromise.
- If you support a particular bill, say so. If you are writing in opposition to legislation, include specific examples of how the measure would adversely effect you and suggest an alternative approach if possible.
- Avoid stereotyped phrases, jargon, and sentences that give the appearance of form letters. Also, don't forget that elected officials are people too and they like to be told when they've done something right. Send them a congratulatory note when they do something that merits approval. If you are sending an e-mail to a representative, you won't receive a response via e-mail but will receive one through the mail. Senators respond to e-mail with e-mail. If you follow these guidelines and establish a working relationship with the elected official or one of their staff, you might be sending and receiving e-mails on a regular basis.
The most effective way of communicating with legislators is to personally meet with them or their staff. Unless you are planning a trip to Washington, DC, this means visiting their local office. Don't expect the legislators to be in their local office if Congress is in session.
This can be found on the Congressional Schedule website www.congressmerge.com/onlinedb/schedule.htm. Make a point to visit the legislator's district office which can be located at www.congressmerge.com/onlinedb/index.htm. If your legislator has a web site it should list times when they will be there. You increase the chance of actually meeting the legislator by visiting at this time. It is very important to remember that all contacts with elected officials must be constructive even if their opinions contrast with your own or those of your organization. It's one thing to disagree with someone, it's another thing to be a jerk about it . . . be respectful, courteous, and professional. If you meet the legislator either in the Washington or local office, send them a thank you card after the meeting. In the card or letter state that you would like to meet again to tell them more about your profession and the issues about which you are concerned. Try to attend any social gathering which your elected official may attend; this is a good way to nurture the friendship.
If you have not established a working relationship with a legislator or one of their staff members, telephone calls are best limited to times when a bill is coming up for a vote and you want to urge the legislator to vote for or against it. If you have then call them to discuss it. But, keep in mind you may not be able to talk with the legislator personally. When in Washington elected officials have hectic schedules and a good part of their day is spent in committee meetings or on the floor of the House or Senate. Instead of calling your legislators' Washington office consider calling a local district office instead. it's less expensive than a long distance call to Washington and district offices tend not to get swamped with phone calls as do Capitol offices.
If this is your first call to a congressional office, you'll talk with a staff member. The first thing you need to do is state your and name and the fact that you are a constituent of the legislator. Then briefly state the nature of your call, i.e., urging the legislator to support or oppose a particular piece of legislation. These types of calls are very important to legislators and the vast majority of offices keep track of these calls.
[Source: Congress Merge info@congressmerge.com Jul 03] back to top
OVERSEAS HOLIDAY MAIL DEADLINES:
To ensure delivery of holiday cards and packages by 25 DEC 05 to military APO/FPO addresses overseas the US Postal Service recommends mailing parcels by these dates:
Express Mail Military Service (EMMS) - December 19, 2005
First-Class Mail Letters/cards - December 10, 2005
Priority Mail - December 10, 2005
Parcel Airlift Mail - December 3, 2005
Space Available Mail (SAM) - November 26, 2005
Parcel Post - November 12, 2005
For more information, go to:
www.usps.com/communications/news/uspscalendar.htm1. When sending packages, especially to overseas zones, families and friends must be aware of certain restrictions and not send items such as: illegal substances, alcoholic beverages, explosives and flammable items such as fireworks, offensive or obscene photos, or drawings or any other material which may offend members of the opposite sex or of another nationality, ethnicity, or religion.
[Source: Government & You E-News, 4 OCT 05] back to top
MEDICARE CLAIM FILING BY PATIENT:
The situation may arise under the Tricare For Life (TFL) program where you want to use a specific physician but that physician refuses to participate in the government's Medicare or Tricare program. You have two options. The most obvious and normally recommended option is to find another physician. Or you can use your physician of choice and file the claim yourself just like the doctor would. Medicare will process the claim, pay its share and automatically forward the claim to Tricare. However, there are some important differences:
- You will need to contact Medicare for instructions on filing the claim yourself. Medicare will help if you have problems in doing that. The toll-free phone number for Medicare is 1 (800) MEDICAR.
- It is possible that the doctor will bill you for tax purposes and/or may expect you to pay his bill in full, but federal law says you don't have to. Congress extended the protection of the Medicare Limiting Charge to Tricare beneficiaries on 1 OCT 93. That provision of Medicare law says a nonparticipating provider may not charge a Medicare patient more than 15% over the amount Medicare approves on the claim. The doctor most likely is aware of the Medicare Limiting Charge and does not expect you to pay more than the law allows.
This is the way it should go down:
- The doctor charges, say, $10,000 and you submit your claim to Medicare.
- Medicare approves only $8,000. According to the Medicare Limiting Charge you are not legally obligated to pay the doctor more than 15% over the $8,000 Medicare approved, or $9,200.
- Medicare will send you a check for 80% of the $8,000 it approved, or $6,400. Tricare will pay you $2,800, which is the difference between the amount Medicare paid and the $9,200 you are legally obligated to pay. Note that Tricare will pay not only your 20% Medicare co-payment but Also the additional 15% surcharge.
- When you have paid that amount ($9200) to the doctor, that bill will be paid in full. You may not be charged more on that particular bill. Obviously there could be some unusual scenarios that could arise regarding the services you receive where the doctor may feel he is entitled to a higher payment which Medicare will not pay. In an article in its monthly newspaper some 10 years ago, AARP reported that a few nonparticipating Medicare providers had taken patients to court over their failure to pay bills in full. The report said that despite the federal law limiting the amount those Medicare beneficiaries could be charged. There were a few cases in which the state court found the patient responsible for the provider's entire bill. You would be wise to discuss the matter with your physician prior to incurring large bills and/or obtain legal advice from an attorney if you expect there could be a problem. Or you could switch doctors.
[Source: ArmyTimes JamesHamby article tricarehelp@atpco.com ] back to top
DFAS myPay UPDATE 01:
The Defense Finance and Accounting Service has informed retired military users of the myPay system that if they want to receive printed paper documents in the future, they will have to notify DFAS. Retired members can either call the customer contact center at (800) 321-1080 between 0900 & 1930 EST anytime during the year or log on to myPay by 31 OCT 04 at https://mypay.dfas.mil to select the hardcopy option associated with each document they prefer to have mailed. According to DFAS, the myPay service provides convenience, privacy, security, and the capability to view and print individual personal retirement account information 24 hours a day. In addition, myPay provides on-line availability of Tax Form 1099R and the annual retiree account statement. In the future DFAS will not print and mail these documents routinely.
[Source: Armed Forces News 24 SEP 04] back to top
DFAS myPay UPDATE 02:
T he Defense Finance and Accounting Service (DFAS) is gearing up another effort to move more retirees into the myPay electronic system. DFAS has sent out a letter to some 400,000 retired members under age 65 who are not currently enrolled in myPay. The letter focuses on the benefits of the myPay system which is designed to help customers better manage their retired pay account. DFAS has created a myPay account for each letter recipient and has issued a temporary myPay Personal Identification Number (PIN), given at the end of the letter. The temporary PIN is valid 45 days from the date of the letter.
When using myPay for the first time, customers will be asked to change the temporary PIN to a customized PIN of their choice. The customer is encouraged to visit the myPay Web site https://mypay.dfas.mil and customize the PIN to guarantee continued access. Anyone needing assistance using myPay, call 1(800) 390-2348 or (216) 522-5122 from 0700 to 1930 EST.
Located online myPay is a web-based system that allows customers with computer access to make changes to their pay account via the internet. Retired members can view their account information from any computer with Internet access virtually 24 hours a day, seven days a week. More than a management tool, it's designed as a time saver as it eliminates the time spent on the phone waiting for the next available operator. Officials emphasize that myPay provides customers with secure technology that meets or exceeds security standards in private industry. myPay uses strong encryption to protect personal information, eliminating the risks associated with identity theft inherent with hard copy statements.
Some of the things you can complete online with myPay are:
- Receive account and tax information without waiting for postal delivery. Retirees can get their 1099R about a month earlier on myPay. Lost or misplaced 1099R documents for the last tax year are
always available on the myPay Web site.
- Stop, change and start most allotments, including savings bond purchases.
- Update your e-mail and mailing address so DFAS can keep you informed of important personal and general pay information.
The myPay system allows the customer to create a "restricted
access" PIN. If the retired member is unable to retrieve pay or tax information due to travel or illness, a designated family member or representative can look at current data. This restricted access PIN prevents anyone else from adding, changing or deleting information in your pay account. [Source: Air Force Retiree News 14 JUL 05]
back to top |
|
