More Than 3 Dozen Military Hospitals to Stop Treating Retirees, Families, Memo Shows

[mfcorey1]

Military families and retirees receiving care through 38 military hospitals nationwide will soon be forced to go off-base instead, and some pharmacies at those hospitals will stop providing drugs to those not on active duty, Military.com has learned.

A 12-page memo, reviewed by Military.com, was sent to the commanders of 50 military treatment facilities, or MTFs, targeted for changes. It details for commanders the impacts of a planned MTF restructuring, the subject of an upcoming report to Congress. It also includes a letter to commanders explaining upcoming changes, signed by Lt. Gen. Ronald Pace, who directs the Defense Health Agency, and provides communications guidance to public affairs personnel.

The changes are a part of a review of military hospital operations and a system consolidation under the Defense Health Agency ordered by Congress in 2016. Aimed at increasing a focus on military readiness, the consolidation includes a plan to cut about 18,000 uniformed medical personnel and increase focus on active-duty support.

But to do so, the hospitals must cull the number of family members and retirees to whom they currently offer care. The report to Congress detailed in the memo lays out the Pentagon's path for those changes.

https://www.military.com/daily-news/2020/02/07/more-3-dozen-military-hospitals-stop-treating-retirees-families-memo-shows.html

[onecaliberal]

1. But but but...

No one loves the military more, no one has done more for military than dump...

[TheBlackAdder]

31. Next he'll take the Taxpayer Subsidized Commissaries and Tax-Exempt Exchanges away from them too!

[Iliyah]

2. Bullshit . . .

Where is all that military money going?

Republicans can never ever tell me how the military is important to them.

For Gawd sake.

[alwaysinasnit]

9. Perhaps it is to syphon even more money to the defense contractors.

[keithbvadu2]

16. Trump is already taking money dedicated to military families for his wall.

Trump is already taking money dedicated to military families for his wall.

[Bayard]

3. tRump just trying to balance the budget

Have to find a way to pay for those billionaire tax cuts, ya know.

[NCjack]

7. and the Wall on the Southern Border. nt

[applegrove]

4. Wasn't there a scandal of medical veteran treatment back when George W. Bush

was President? Aren't there going to be a big number of former active duty retiring as the baby boomers age and vietnam and afghanistan/Iraq veterans retire? Don't we owe people medical care?

[ancianita]

17. One bite at a time. First, defund military medical care. Next, defund civilian Medicare.

The jungle ethics of neonazism: all the weak, infirm, disable and old tossed out to fend for themselves.

[CRK7376]

32. As a Boomer who retired from the Army 5 years ago

after wearing the uniform for 38 years, I'm not displeased with my Retiree medical coverage for me and my family. None of us live within 3 hours of a MTF (Military Treatment Facility) kids off at college, wife and daughter attending local college all have good health care and have never been seen at an MTF. Since retiring from service I have not stepped one foot into a MTF either. We go to the Docs we like, good cheap prescriptions filled at the local Walgreens....no issues with health care for my family at this time. So right now all is good. Hope it stays that way! But under our current idiot & impeached commander in chief anything to screw with health care and retiree pay and benefits is not beyond happening and probably will.

[Submariner]

5. Trump likes military retirees and their families that don't get sick and need V.A. care

these cutbacks will help fund his golf trip bill and the $650 a night hotel rooms for secret service agents.

[virgogal]

6. This was ordered by Congress in 2016.....what are you talking about?

[Zolorp]

8. Donnie Dimwit HATES our troops.

He considers every last one of them to be a sucker and it shows.

[crickets]

10. Somebody needs to review (and amend) the decision from the 2016 Congress,

keeping mind exactly what military hospitals are for. Also, Republicans need to STFU about how much they love supporting the troops and veterans and actually DO it.

[BadGimp]

11. Trump continues to continue to deliver on his promise to US Military Vetrans...

[pwb]

12. Trump needs the money for his wall.

.

[Corgigal]

13. Interesting.

Will need those locations, because they all vote. Could stand outside the base with a sign, we won’t forget you, vote Democratic.

[Scotch-Irish]

14. Gotta pay for that wall!!!

Scary people walking through our borders, don't cha know!

[patphil]

15. Eliminating retiree's health care will make it more difficult to keep career military personnel.

Free health care has always been offered to military retirees.
This will hurt Trump in November.

[EndlessWire]

20. I agree. n/t

[DangerousRhythm]

27. As long as we make sure people actually know. N/t

[aggiesal]

18. The problem is ...

This was ordered by congress in 2016 when Republicans controlled both houses of congress.
But is now being implemented in 2020, when Democrats control the house.

Who do you think the military personnel losing their benefits will blame for this policy,
the Republicans for ordering it in 2016,
or the Democrats for having to implementing it in 2020?

[crickets]

19. +1

[EndlessWire]

21. I think

that every candidate can make a statement and vow to restore the benefits. Trump took the benefits, not them.

Vets have always been treated post service as a benefit of that service. It's odd that they would do this, seeing as how they need the military to enforce their will. Active duty personnel will not like this any more than retirees will. I see a draft coming, because no smart person will enlist in order to never receive a pension or healthcare. Why would you enlist for that??

[LiberalFighter]

23. Where do you see that it is being implemented by Democrats?

It is being implemented by a Republican executive branch.

[aggiesal]

25. It's not that the Democrats are implementing it ...

but it is being implemented while the Democrats control House and the purse strings.

Military families and retirees receiving care through 38 military hospitals nationwide will soon be forced to go off-base instead ...

Memo already sent to the commanders.

A 12-page memo, reviewed by Military.com, was sent to the commanders of 50 military treatment facilities, or MTFs, targeted for changes ...

[LiberalFighter]

28. Even if the House "controls" the purse it is limited

when it still needs to be passed by the Senate.

[aggiesal]

29. Don't you get it? ...

It was already ordered in 2016.

The only thing the military families are going to see is that their medical
facilities are closing when the Democrats are in control of the House.

They're not going to care that it was ordered in 2016, they don't
follow politics as closely as most on this site.

They only know that they will feel the pain of not having their medical
facility available to them when it closes, right before the 2020 election.

And don't think the Republicans won't use this in those district with
vulnerable Democratic incumbents.

[LiberalFighter]

33. It doesn't help to push this meme so that others wonder about it.

[aggiesal]

34. So first you ask about how the Democrats are implementing, so I answer ...

Second it seemed you didn't understand that the Senate no longer has to vote on this, so I explained that.
And third, now I'm pushing the meme?

I'm I being trolled?

[LiberalFighter]

35. Do you understand that legislation passed by the House also

requires the Senate to pass it too? It may start in the House for the purse but it still requires the Senate to pass it.

Instead of posting in your original post the suggestion Democrats will get the blame because they control the House without even referencing that the Senate is controlled by Republicans. And they are currently sitting on 400 bills waiting for action.

It doesn't help to spin it negatively when the blame should be focused on the 2016 Republican controlled and Republican controlled Senate back in 2016 and currently in 2020. When this is talked in public you want to educate the people and where the blame should go. Not give them other thoughts or excuses.

And as long as you keep adding that the Democrats are in control of the House will be the only thing they will hear.

[aggiesal]

36. You're never going to stop. You're the only one pushing this meme. ...

I'm done.

[LiberalFighter]

37. Really? I keep trying to make it clear but it doesn't work for you.

[dalton99a]

22. "I don't think anybody's done more than me"

"I don't think anybody's been more with the military than I have, as a president," he told Fox News’ Chris Wallace. "In terms of funding, in terms of all of the things I've been able to get them, including the vets. I don't think anybody's done more than me."

[onethatcares]

24. the ads write themselves

we just need a candidate that will go on the teevee machine and speak the language out loud.

[Faux pas]

26. EFFERS

[Efilroft Sul]

30. I just brought this story to the attention of my representative Mike Doyle.

So let's take matters in our hands. Contact your representative today, whether he or she is a Democrat or Republican, and demand that this situation is rectified.

[lpbk2713]

38. Something else that will be changed in January 2020.

I can't wait till that asshole is gone.