To Defense Secretary Robert Gates for saying publicly that the Pentagon is being eaten alive by ballooning health care costs, which have soared from $19 billion a decade ago to $50 billion today. Premiums have not risen in that time, however. This is an unrealistic and unsustainable situation that will lead to a Pentagon-wide funding crisis if left unaddressed. But Gates should be careful not to make scapegoats of working-age military retirees who opt for Tricare. The Pentagon’s health insurance system is arguably the best and most generous plan enjoyed by any American. It is a key recruiting and retention tool. Overhauling the system will be difficult and require deft handling. But Gates is right to highlight the problem and get the process rolling.
Most Popular
Recent Posts
- 1930: In case you missed it August 09 2014
-
Book excerpt: “F.I.R.E.” April 29 2014
-
Two Cheers for the QDR April 06 2014
- 1973: Buy our drones! April 05 2014
-
Afghanistan or Talibanistan? April 02 2014
Popular Posts
Blood borders International borders are never completely just. But t...
12 new principles of warfare Now that dramatic improvements in weaponry, communicat...
Pipeline politics in Syria You can’t understand the conflict without talking about...
“Fiasco” By the winter of 2003-04, the Marine Corps was ordered...
Peters’ “Blood borders” map On Sept. 29, veteran foreign-affairs reporter Robin Wri...
A failure in generalship For the second time in a generation, the United States...
Recent Comments