However, once the clintonistas imposed the payment of premiums in order to keep the medical care, they've remained level. I'm not sure that a small increase of dental premiums is anything more than a long delayed inflation adjustment. If it were a lot bigger, and imposed on the medical care itself, then I might think differently.
As for the commentary about COLA, I'm afraid you're mixing two kinds of pay. A cost-of-living-allowance (COLA) is paid to military members in high cost of living areas in order to keep their standard of living equal with their counterparts living elsewhere. These COLAs are recalculated annually using several components of living expenses (average rent cost being a big one). The COLAs go up or down in response to these calculations, they always have.
The second pay is a cost-of-living-increase in pay frequently (not guaranteed) granted annually. It's supposed to be linked with the CPI, but since congress has to specifically authorize it each year, it usually is much lower. Occasionally, they grant a really big increase as a gap-closing measure with average civilian pay, but those are few and far between. This year, as with all other government employees, retirees, and social security recipients, there is no cost of living increase.
Yeah, I know, food and a lot of other things are going up fast, but when so many of our countrymen are out of work, losing their homes, etc., it sure seems selfish and niggardly to complain!
I expect they will go after TRICARE for Life and Retiree TRICARE. I believe the government lost a court battle and a legal precedent was established regarding military retirees health care for life. It is not written in the contracts we sign, but has always been implied, so the courts ruled in favor of the military retiree. That does not mean we will not be moved out of a policy similar to that used by Congress and put in a Federal system to save money.
It is not the young Marine or Sailor that will see dramatic cuts for their families, the cuts will be channeled to senior care. The real danger is to our Korean, Viet Nam War and Gulf War vets. In 2012 it will be 20 years since the liberation of Kuwait, some senior enlisted and officers from that war will be in their early sixties, Korean and Viet Nam vets will be well into the so called Golden years.
Time to remind them of it. Because it's not just us gray hairs that are going to be hit hard by obamacare, but our Military, especially our retired Military over 65 who rely on TRL for their secondary health insurance.
Hubby retired as a Senior Chief, worked for low pay for those 20 years, and promises, promises the government now doesn't want to keep.
Heads up.
Military or no, I’m supposed to be upset because their dental premiums went up a buck or two a month? You want to guess how much my dental insurance went up this year over last? It’s a whole lot more than that.
The list, ping
Hubby got his Navy retirement check in today...$10.00 LIGHTER than normal and his state was $.80 lighter. SS not due in until third Tue of the month.