Moby Dick

I wasn't referring to us. I was referring to enlisted troops. That retirement security issue is BIG when it comes to enlisted retention.

hindsight2020

I agree with BGERJMN. As a Reservist I think TRS was great and I consider the Tricare plans very competitive even with increased costs. Much more affordable than even the federal employee plans (FEHB) for equivalent coverage.

As for people leaving money on the table to pursue military work. Pff. Not even pilots can say that. ATC and medical AFSC/MOSs aside, the majority of the enlisted corps enter service under a de facto economic draft construct. If I had a quarter for every dual E-5/6 household living it up well-to-do officer suburbia style (and stretched thin) with no hope of affording the same feat on their education or even their military skills on the outside, I'd be able to fund my own retirement by now...That demographic ain't going anywhere.

Flyinhigh

You are missing my point (or maybe I didn't state it very well). In order to get the "free" TRiCare For Life at age 65 you must enroll in MediCare Part B. I just got my notification for 2013 and MediCare Part B will cost me $104.90 per month. Not too bad, all things considered. However, because I have been frugal, saved my money, invested wisely, and am blessed to have a pension along with a military retirement, I will pay an additional $104.90 "surcharge" for MediCare Part B. So, in order to get my "free" TriCare for Life, I must pay $209.80 per month. How would you feel if they told you that TriCare would start charging you a premium based on your outside income above and beyond your reserve rank and pay. Why not? If you have a great airline job or a high paying job in some other field maybe that should be used to compute what you should pay for your TriCare. Pay your fair share.
I guess I could have left at 8 or 9 years, got that airline job and served in a reserve unit and been way better off than I am today. But I decided to stay for 23 years of active service. That was my choice. And one of the deciding factors was the healthcare issue. That was a huge factor.
Again, I have no problem with being forced to pay for something that was promised to me as a "free" benefit. Things change. But when we can spend 6.2 billion dollars on cellphones for people who performed no service and made no sacrifice and then not keep our promise to our vets, I get a little hot under the collar.
There, I feel better now!!

WhistlePig

Medicare Part B hits everyone when they retire, not just the military. Just wait until you have to deal with the doughnut hole.

Flyinhigh

I think you are confusing your MediCare options. The "doughnut hole"refers to MediCare Part D pharmacy benefits. There is no "doughnut hole" for MediCare Part B. Part B is for doctors visits and medical supplies. You pay a $140 annual deductible then MediCare Part B picks up 80% of the "allowable" expenses. So, if your doctor charges $150 for an office visit, MediCare Part B may only "allow" $75 for that visit. They will pay 80% of the $75. You are on the hook for the rest of the expenses if your doctor does not accept MediCare. More and more doctors are not accepting MediCare because of the low payouts and the payouts are only going lower in the next few years. I was lucky when I retired from FedEx that my doctor was taking existing patients with MediCare; no new MediCare patients need apply. My doctor does not accept TriCare. If he did, TriCare For Life will pay the 20% copay but they will only pay up to the "allowable" amount. MediCare and TFL "allowables" are virtually identical (imagine that). I took out a MediCare Part B Supplement to cover the differences and the $140 annual deductible. Luckily my union reimburses me for about 90% of the cost of the Supplement.
TriCare For Life also picks up my pharmacy expenses; but the copays are going up on these as well. I did not take a Part D Pharmacy Benefit because I thought TriCare For Life would be all I would need for pharmacy. So far so good, but who knows what will happen in the future.