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Order Your
National MUSTER T-Shirts Today
We
are offering a one time opportunity to order special 2010 SMART National Muster T-shirts. These T-shirts will be available
only for pick up at the registration table at the September National Muster in Centre Hall, PA to those who place their orders
by email no later than Friday August 13th. These are quality forest green 50/50
cotton/polyester unisex T-shirts featuring the logo from the 2010 SMART National Muster. They are only
$12 each for sizes Small, Medium, Large and Extra Large and $13 each for XXL and XXXL. They are also
available in youth sizes Small, Medium and Large. To order your T-shirts now, send an email to our Merchandise Coordinator, Dick
Tracy at dtracy@ptd.net . Be sure to include the quantity and size for each T-shirt you want. In order
to not have excess inventory after the Muster, Dick will be special ordering the shirts to match the quantities and sizes
he receives from your advance orders. Decide now on how many T-shirts in what size(s) you want and then
email Dick today at dtracy@ptd.net. Send no money now, Dick will have the shirts available at the Muster registration
and cash payment will due at that time. (Sorry, no credit cards!)
Check out the caravans
page for info on the Fall Colors Caravan
Health Care
Reform Update 32: The Tricare Affirmation Act (H.R.4887), aimed at protecting
people in the military health care program from being penalized for not having private insurance, was signed into law 26 APR
by President Obama. The new law provides a specific exemption for Tricare beneficiaries and for nonappropriated-fund civilian
employees of the Defense Department from a requirement of the Patient Protection and Affordable Care Act that will require
people without minimal health cover to either buy private insurance or face a $750 penalty. Tricare health insurance is specifically
defined by the law signed Monday as minimal essential coverage, which provides an exemption from the penalty. Rep. Ike Skelton
(D-MO), the House Armed Services Committee chairman who opposed the national health care reform law but was a key sponsor
of the Tricare Affirmation Act, said he hopes this resolves questions by active-duty family members, retirees and their families
about how national health reform might affect them. Signing the new law “reinforces that military health care coverage
will not be adversely affected by the health care reform law,” Skelton said. Skelton’s committee will consider
legislation in May that would extend to Tricare beneficiaries one of the provisions of the new health reform law that allows
unmarried children to remain covered by a parent’s insurance until age 26. That legislation is expected to be included
in the 2011 defense authorization bill. [Source: AirForceTimes Rick Maze article 27 Apr 2010 ++]
Thought's
for a caravan submitted by Jim Martin CAJUNS <Click Me>
TRICARE Affirmation Act Passes Congress, and sent to the President
On Monday, April
12, 2010, The US Senate fast-tracked S 3148 introduced
by Senator Jim Webb (D-VA), and passed the TRICARE
Affirmation Act S 3148 which had been passed 403-0 by the House of Representatives HR 4887
on March 20, 2010. The bill amends the IRS code to explicitly state that TRICARE programs are defined under the law
as "minimal essential health
care coverage" as required by the new Patient Protection and Affordable Care Act, commonly called the health
care reform act. This ensures that service members and their families will not need to purchase additional coverage
or pay any penalty fees to meet the health insurance requirements under the new law.
House committee staff indicated
that AUSN was instrumental in bringing about this change with our 'protect' TRICARE writing campaign. Senator Webb
stated he appreciated association's active engagement and support of the troops and their families on this matter in recent
months and weeks.
There where months of confusion surrounding military health care programs, however with the passage of these two bills
and the President's pending signing of the bill, we can now tell our service members and their families today that their
health care is secure. Congressman Ike Skelton (D-MO-4th) and Senator Webb (D-VA) along with many congressional members from both parties
- moved quickly to 'correct' a technical error, as stated by several US Senators. The TRICARE system for our
service members and their families is now protected.
AUSN will continue to monitor the many changes that
will occur with the Patient Protection and Affordable Care Act that can emerge. Our pledge to service members, veterans,
and their families is to ensure that military and veteran health care is protected, maintained,
and properly funded for the future. This bill achieves what thousands of military members and veterans where seeking
when this debate first appeared and was left out originally. AUSN along with many friends of the Navy and the military
thanks Congress for recognizing the sacrifice and significance of military service.
AF
Base Dining Open to Retirees
April 26, 2010
Many Air Force base dining facilities have seen use rates drop below 50 percent. Instead of closing these facilities,
Air Force plans to open some facilities at six bases to retirees. Retirees will pay the same market price as everyone else,
and there will not be an added surcharge on top of the menu price. The six Air Force bases participating in the initiative
are Elmendorf AFB, Alaska , Patrick AFB, Fla. , MacDill AFB, Fla. , Fairchild AFB, Wash. , Little Rock AFB, Ark. , and Travis
AFB, Calif. This pilot program not only opens food establishments to all members of the base community, but diners will see
an overall increase in the variety and availability of healthy menu options on base. Read the full Air Force Retiree Services article.
Senate Approves TRICARE Legislation
By
Katherine McIntire Peters
The Senate on Tuesday unanimously approved
a bill that explicitly states service members, military retirees and their families will not have to purchase additional health
insurance under the new health reform law. The House passed the bill (H.R. 4887) on
March 20, a day after it was introduced by House Armed Services Committee Chairman Rep. Ike Skelton, D-Mo. It clarifies the
tax code to stipulate that TRICARE and Defense non-appropriated fund health care plans meet all requirements for individual
health insurance under the recently enacted Patient Protection and Affordable Care Act. "Our
nation's military provides us with first-class protection, and it is our obligation to provide them and their families
with first-class health care in return," Skelton said. The bill heads to President
Obama to be signed into law.
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