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

[usaf-vet]

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.

"DoD must adapt the military health system to focus more on readiness of the combined force, while continuing to meet our access to health care obligations for active duty families, retirees and their families," the Feb. 3 memo states. "With a challenging array of threats around the world, we need our military medical facilities to keep combat forces healthy and prepare our medical personnel to support them."

THIS SADLY IS WHAT THEY CALL SUPPORTING THE TROOPS

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

[spanone]

1. Criminal.

[In_The_Wind]

2. Damn! That is bad news.

[Liberalhammer]

3. Very Republican

Once you met your use, you mean nothing to them.

If I served in the military I would be very angery at Trump and his cronies.

[Frustratedlady]

4. There is an article that gives caution on these changes.

https://www.military.com/daily-news/2020/01/15/army-secretary-calls-slowdown-military-health-care-merger.html

I'm wondering/hoping that this is a military way to let enough time pass that Trump forgets about it and they can leave the situation as is? My family uses the VA hospital for many services and has no problem when it comes to timely appointments/care. This change might affect us, but we don't know enough details yet.

We have to rely on the old saying, "If it ain't broke..." Our VA hospital has undergone many new changes/new buildings and doesn't appear to be a problem. I know...that doesn't make any difference when it comes to governmental decisions.