Transcript Legislative Update

Enlisted Association
of the National Guard
of the United States
YOUR Professional Association!
NDAA
2008
Pay Raise
Early Retirement
More Retirement Points
MGIB Portability
CNGB gets 4th Star
IDT Travel Pay
Repeal Insurrection
Act changes
No TRICARE increases
Retain combat
Injured Mil Techs
Extend VA health
Care from 2 to 5 yrs
NG Empowerment
$800M NGREA
$66M Yellow Ribbon
Reintegration Program
NDAA
2008
Separate NGB
budget authority
Seat on JCS
For CNGB
Joint Duty Credit
For TAGs
SBP DIC Offset
removal
Cold War Victory Medal
2 more WMD/CST Teams
Retroactivity for early
Retirement provisions
TRICARE for gray
Area retirees
Postal benefits for
OIF/OEF mailings
Commissary access by
Surviving spouses
MGIB-SR stays with
HASC and not HVAC
2 ½ year study, 6 Major Areas, 163 findings, 95 recommendations
COMMISSION ON THE
NATIONAL GUARD
AND RESERVE
FINAL REPORT
DHS, not DOD, to determine civil support requirements
Eliminate BAH-II
HLS is primary mission for Guard, combat role is for actives and federal reserves
Reduce duty statuses from 29 to 2; cease IDT pay
One retirement system, vest at 10 years, collect at age 57—60--62
Reduce AGR program, assign active component to billets in units
Paid IDT Travel over 50 miles with no restrictions, but promote and assign anywhere
SSS registrants used as manpower pool for national emergencies
Directors Army & Air Guard report to CSA & CSAF not CNGB
NO
COMBAT
“I would say defending the homeland is combat, it is war fighting.”
Maj Gen (Ret) Arnold Punaro, CNGR Chair, National Journal 2/2/2008
ANG Major Units
Eielson 8
Elmendorf 8
Kulis 8
Kulis 8
Fairchild 8
Bangor 8
Great Falls 15
Portland 21
Duluth 15
Hector 0
Burlington 18
Hector 8
Klamath 15
Alpena/CRTC
Boise 15
Boise 4
Pease 9
Minn/ST Paul 8
Hancock 15
Barnes
Reno 8
Offut/Det
Lincoln 8
Salt Lake 8
Buckley 15
Buckley 2
Forbes 8
Truax 18
Lambert 15
Fresno 18
McConnell 9
Scott 8
Louisville 8
Charleston 8
Channel Is 8
Kirkland 18
Sky Harbor 8
Tulsa 21
Richmond 15
Charlotte 8
Nashville 8
McGhee Tyson 8
Ft Smith 15
Memphis 8
March 0
McEntire 24
Will Rogers 8
Birmingham 8
Little Rock 8
Robins 12
Tucson 53
Ft Worth 8
Tucson 0
Savannah 8
CRTC
Jackson 8
Hickam 8
Hickam 15
Key Fld 9
Dannelly 18
Gulfport/CRTC
Hickam 8
The MDS
The Host
Air Force
ANG
AFRC
Navy
Ellington 0
KC-135 E
F-16 15
KC-135 R
F-16 25
C-130 E
F-16 30
C-130 H
F-16 32
C-130 J
F-16 42
C-5
F-15
C-17
A-10
Sp Alft
UAV
CSAR
J8
Otis 15
Schenectady 14
Quonset 8
Stewart 12 Bradley C-21
Bradley 8
Gabreski
9
Willow Grove 15
Selfridge 8
Kellogg 15
Selfridge 15
Pittsburg 16
Toledo 18
McGuire 16
FT Wayne 18
Des Moines 18
Harrisburg 6
Mansfield 8
Atlantic City 18
Peoria 8
New Castle 8
Rickenbacker 16
Martin St 18
Martinsburg 10
Terre Haute 15
Rosecrans 8
Martin St 8
Andrews 18
Spring/Beck 12
Andrews 4
Capital 15
Sioux City 8
Cheyenne 8
Moffett 9
Niagara 8
Volk/CRTC
Gen Mitchell 9
Jose Foss 18
New Orleans 15
Jacksonville 15
Kelly Fld 18
NO COMBAT
Muniz 8
TASK FORCE ON THE
FUTURE OF MILITARY
HEALTH CARE
FINAL REPORT
Beneficiary
Category
Beneficiaries
Percent of
Total
Percent of
Budget
Out of Pocket
Costs
AD & Family
3,944,861
43%
20%
$0
<65 Retiree
& Family
3,283,820
36%
23%
Fees, Co-pays,
Deductibles
>65 Retiree
& Family
1,903,387
21%
57%
$0
totals
9,132,068
$39.4 billion
Annual /Monthly Enrollment Fees for Prime Family before Proposed Indexing
Retired Pay
year
$0 - $19,999
$20,000 - $39,999
$40,000 & above
2007
$460/$0
$460/$0
$460/$0
2008
$570/$50
$640/$55
$780/$65
2009
$680/$55
$830/$70
$1,110/$95
2010
$790/$65
$1,010/$85
$1,430/$120
2011
$900/$75
$1,190/$100
$1,750/$145
2012+
Annually adjust with index, relook at 5 yrs
 Single would feature an enrollment fee and a deductible that equals half of those for family rates.
TASK FORCE ON THE
FUTURE OF MILITARY
HEALTH CARE
FINAL REPORT
DOD overestimated costs and projected enrollment
TRICARE
RESERVE
SELECT
(TRS)
GAO Report
DOD Est. FY’05 cost $70M, actual cost $5M
DOD Est. FY’06 cost $442M, actual cost $40M
Health care costs went up 4.7% for FY’06, DOD raised rates 8.5%
DOD charges premiums of $81 monthly for member, $253 monthly for family
GAO said premiums should be $48 member, $175 family
PREMIUMS PAID BY MEMBERS EXCEEDED COSTS !!
22,616 Total TRS plans
8,311 member-only plans
14,305 member and family plans
61,376 covered TRS beneficiaries
as of February 25, 2008
EANGUS
Legislative Priorities for 2007-2008
57 LEGISLATIVE GOALS 2005-2007, 13 ‘PRIORITY 1’
Employment protections for caregivers of wounded warriors
Public Law 110-181, Section 585 (07-19)
National Guard Empowerment provisions (2 resolutions)
Public Law 110-181, Sections 1801-1826 (07-09 & 06-27)(07-13,P2)
Reduced retirement eligibility (“age 55 retirement”)
Public Law 110-181, Sections 1801-1826 (07-04)(06-19,P3)
CRSC/CRDP for 100% disabled & rated IU
Public Law 110-181, Section 642 (06-05)
TRICARE available on affordable cost share basis
Public Law 109-364, Section 706 (06-23)
Increased funding and modernization of equipment
NGREA increased from $150M to $800M from FY’07 to FY’08 (06-02)(07-13,P2)(05-17)
Permanent TRICARE health and dental care
Funding streams provided in earlier fiscal years (07-07)
Veteran status by Veterans Affairs for all 20-year retirees
Continuing to work with House staff on a bill (07-16)
Increased AGR authorizations & control grades (2 resolutions)
AGR ramps protected; working with House staff on a bill for increased control grades (07-01 & 06-16)
[2 other P1 had no measurable action]
Retain combat injured Mil Techs without regard to NDS limits
Public Law 110-181, Section 511 (06-15,P2)(06-04,P3)
Improved MGIB benefits, including transportability
Public Law 110-181, Sections 530 & 535 (05-12)
[TMC G-R 2008 goals include 20 additional legislative resolutions]
TMC Guard – Reserve Committee
Legislative Priorities for 2008
Reduced retirement eligibility retroactivity to 9/11 (07-04,P1)
$2 billion cost according to CBO
Seamless transition for mobilized reservists and families
Expand Benefits Delivery at Discharge Program, establish Flexible Spending Accounts,
authority for employers to contribute to 401(k)/403(b) during mob, academic
protections for mobilized students, reemployment rights for reserve spouses who
suspend employment to care for children during mobilizations
Improved MGIB benefits
Raise rates, cumulative benefits for multiple combat tours, integrate active and reserve
MGIB programs, extend usage period post-discharge, transferability to dependents
Guard & Reserve readiness (07-01,P1) (07-10,P4) (07-12,P5) (06-02,P1) (0616,P1) Maintain end strengths and proper funding for equipment and training
Family support programs
Better access to web based programs like Military OneSource, robust preventive
counseling services, rights and benefits education, child care off the installation
Authorize tax credits for employers of reservists (07-03,P2) (06-24,P1)
Pass meaningful tax credits and reinforce employer support
TMC Guard – Reserve Committee
Legislative Priorities for 2008
Continuum of health care insurance options (07-05,P2) (06-17,P3) (05-13)
Oppose any TRS fee increases without adequate justification, equivalent offset to civilian
plan premiums during mobilization, increase dental benefits to ensure dental
readiness standards when facilities are not available within 50 miles, adequate access
and treatment for PTSD and TBI off the installation
Changes to above-the-line deduction for overnight travel expenses
(05-16) Change 100 mile restriction to 50 miles
Veteran Status for Guard-Reserve retirees (07-16,P1)
Expand veteran status to 20-year retirees but do not otherwise qualify under Title 38
Reserve compensation system (07-14,P2) (06-08,P9) (05-20) (05-04)
Revise 1/30th rule for special pays, eliminate BAH-II, improve Space-A travel provisions,
improve reserve income replacement program for mobilized reservists
USERRA & SCRA improvement (06-07,P5) (06-22,P12) (05-15)
Stronger credit provisions, greater teeth in USERRA to protect mobilized reservists and
their families
Changing Landscape
on Capitol Hill
6 Not returning in 2009
SAC-M
SAC-M
SVAC
SAC-D
SASC
30 Up for re-election in 2008
SASC
SASC
SASC
SAC-D
SAC-M
SVAC
SAC-D
SASC
SASC
SAC-D
SAC-D
SASC
SASC
SAC-D
SASC
SASC,
SAC-M
SASC
SAC-M
35 Not returning in 2009;
all are up for re-election
HVAC
HASC
HAC-D
HASC
HASC
HASC
HAC-D,
HAC-M
YOUR Professional Association!
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http://www.eangus.org