The Fort Hood Sentinel (Temple, Tex.), Vol. 54, No. 91, Ed. 1 Thursday, June 27, 1996 Page: 4 of 46
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A
June 271996 Fort Hood Sentinel
Commentary By Patricia A. Long
U.S. Support Group Haiti
As I collected my orders and prepared
to deploy I continuously encountered the
comment "I didn't know the military was
still over there..." Now several weeks later
I am in Haiti...again.
This is not a complaint. I volunteered
for this duty. But there are several service
members serving three and six-month tours
here that are forgotten. Overlooked by the
military population forgotten by the gen-
eral public and neglected by the media and
politicians who conveniently help make
policy and forget to follow-up on its
progress.
These soldiers airmen sailors and
MEDDAC Public Affairs
Thousands more than expected have signed up for
TRICARE Prime the top option under the Depart-
ment of Defense's managed health-care program. This
comes under the "good news "bad news" category
for DoD officials.
It was good so many wanted to participate but it
slowed processing procedures.
In the first few months of enrollment in the Pacific
Northwest's Region 11 the first of 12 TRICARE
regions to begin operations enrollment surpassed
what was expected the first year.
"That caused some administrative delays that frus-
trated some enrollees" said Dr. Stephen Joseph as-
sistant secretary of defense for health affairs "the
same thing occurred in Region 6 (Arkansas Louisi-
ana Oklahoma and Texas).
"These were growing pains" Josepoh said. "Once
we realized the popularity of TRICARE Prime we
were able to adjust."
However at Fort Hood there are no administra-
tive delays for enrolling to TRICARE Prime. Family
members of active duty were given the option to en-
roll at their convenience rather that rushing to enroll
May 1 when enrollment began.
DoD beganTRICARE to counteract rising health-
care costs and the impact of base closures and fewer
military hospitals. Active-duty members and their
families non-Medicare eligible retires and their fami-
lies and survivors qualify. However at Fort Hood
due to a shortage of family practice physicians only
family members of active duty are initially being en-
rolled. As more physicians become available retir-
ees and their family members will be able to enroll.
TRICARE is a managed-care health plan formed
through a partnership of military medics with civil-
ian contractors. Besides cutting costs it was designed
The following questions which could not be answered
during the May Fort Hood TV Town Hall Meeting have
been answered by the III Corps and Fort Hood Command
Sergeant Major.
I'm leaving the Army in September my wife is pregnant. Will the
Army pay for her hospital stay?
I'm leaving the Army July 7 my baby is due July 23. Will Darnall
cover the cost of birth at another hospital or can I extend until after the
baby is born?
Military health care benefits end upon sponsor's ETS.
Implementation of the Continued Health Care Benefit Program was
directed by Congress in section 4408 of the National Defense Authori-
zation Act for FY93.
This law directed the implementaion of a program of temporary con-
tinued health benefits coverage comparable to the benefits provided for
former civilian employees of the Federal government.
The CHCBP is a premium based temporary health care coverage
ittiiiitatfitv iriiii
Marines are here to serve their country. In
doing this they have to sacrifice something.
That "something" is time. Quality time
spent with family and friends. Birthdays
anniversaries births and holidays are
events many take for granted. Not those
who serve in the armed forces. We never
know if we will be there during that spe-
cial occasion. It becomes even more spe-
cial when we are present but it is cer-
tainly not something taken for granted by
any service member.
Then there are the hardships of the tour.
Granted there have been worse deploy-
ments than serving this current mission in
Haiti. But we work live eat and enter-
tain ourselves in warehouses. Showers are
communal and built outside in a wooden
improve access to care quality of care and medical
readiness.
Three levels of care are available as enrollment
options. Joseph said he
hopes everyone will see
the benefit of selecting
the Prime option.
"In my mind the
greatest reason for en-
rolling in Prime is the
$ll-per-day cost for
hospitalization" he
said.
He compared that to
$25 or more a day for
family members of ac-
tive duty admitted to ci-
vilian hospitals and
$330-plus retirees have
to pay under the
TRICARE Standard
andCHAMPUS rules.
Joseph said he's frus-
trated however by
Congress' inaction on
allowing Medicare-eli-
gible beneficiaries over
the age 65 to enroll.
Under current law the
military cannot be reim-
bursed by Medicare for
care provided the over-
65 population in military facilities.
"We've been fighting this battle for along time
and I respect the patience of that group of people in
waiting for congressional action on this. Not allow-
ing them into TRICARE is a big frustration and cred-
ibility buster Joseph said.
A
Say Again...
Soldier urges public to remember those serving in Haiti
structure. Latrines are not something to
boast about by any means. We sleep un-
der mosquito nets and take our malaria
pills weekly. Did I mention all the shots
just to deploy down here?
We live in a secured compound carry
weapons if we leave and conduct any busi-
ness through interpreters. The highlight of
our day is chow time. We build our lives
seven days a week around what time we
eat. Morning noon and night that's the
big event of each and every day.
It is for this reason it is imperative that
those who serve in other countries sepa-
rated from family and friends are not for-
gotten or neglected because we do not
make big headlines. We are not on the news
at 10 p.m. CNN is not in Haiti there is
Three levels health care options available with TRICARE
"Three levels of care are available as
enrollment options"
*Prime Similar to a civilian health-
maintenance organization that serves as a
central source for all health needs. All
active-duty service members are enrolled
in Prime and receive most of their health
care form military medics. Active-duty
personnel and their families enroll at no
charge retirees pay an annual fee of $230
per person or $460 per family.
*Extra No enrollment. People using
this option can choose any health-care
provider. If they use an authorized net-
work provider they receive a 5 percent
discount from TRIGARE Standard cost
shares after the annual deductible.
*Standard New name for standard
CHAMPUS. Users pay CHAPMUS
deductibles and cost shares and abide by
CHAMPUS rules.
TOWN HALL QUESTIONS
program that will mirror the benefits offered via the basic CHAMPUS
program.
The CHCBP is not part of the CHAMPUS program however it
functions under most of the rules and procedures of CHAMPUS.
This program does not exclude pre-existing conditions so it would
cover pregnant spouses.
Additional information is available from: CHCBP Admistrator PO
Box 1608 Rockville MD 20849-1608 and 1-800-809-6119.
Any questions about extending ETS date would be through the
sponsor's unit.
If TRICARE is free why should you have to enroll?
TRICARE Prime is the only option that requires enrollment. Under
TRICARE Prime enrollees select a Primary Care Manager who is re-
sponsible for all medical care.
Primary Care Managers can take care of a limited number of pa-
tients because of their appointment availability. Enrollment entitles you
to more benefits than those who are not enrolled and under the TRICARE
contract the Department of Defense pays a certain amount to the con
by Michael Rodriguez
FORT HOOD
N
no news-making conflict. But we still are.
No we did not just spring up here again
all of a sudden. We never left. The mili-
tary operation that began as Operation
Uphold Democracy Sept. 19. 1994 tran-
sition into what is now called U.S. Sup-
port Group officially began its joint op-
eration April 30 1995.
We are not a United Nations operation.
The military mission in Haiti is made up
of approximately 300 military members
from the joint services. Army Air Force
Marines and Navy all serve together to
direct this successful operation which fo-
cuses on humanitarian efforts.
Military personnel rotating through
Haiti get valuable real-world training.
They provide medical care to Haitian chil
Though not reimbursed for their care the number
of retirees who received care in Darnall's Intensive
Care Unit and surgical wards is significant.
Both houses cur
rently are considering
changing the law Jo-
seph said. "Until they
change the law we will
continue to treat our
over-65 segment on a
space-available basis.
Unfortunately
space in military medi-
cal facilities could be-
come even scarcer.
Some members of Con-
gress have assailed mili-
tary peacetime health
care saying costs could
be cut in half if the se-
ries treated active-duty
members only. But Jo-
seph said there's an un-
deniable link between
treating patients of all
ages and health condi-
tions and meeting the
health needs of war
fighters.
"American people
demand a very high
standard of wartime
health care" he said. 'They expect us to be there
right away—and that's the right expectation. But this
requires a highly skilled and practical medical force.
"We can't recruit and retain good doctors unless
we provided them a good practice and the research
and training opportunities available to them in our
SENTINEL
Post Commander:
Lt Gen.ThomasA. Schwartz
Public Affairs Officer:
Lt Col. Randy Schoel
Managing Editor: Kay Pennington
Editor: SgtLa Donna Herschel
Homefront Editor: Danielle Barr
Off Duty Editor: Spc. LA. Prentice
Sports Editor: Spc. Judy Stalllngs
Staff Writers: Spc. Sharon Mulligan
Spc.AmyKoehler
Editorial Office: III Corps Public Affairs
Office Fort Hood Texas 76544.
Telephone (817) 287-2436/0107 or DSN
737-2436/0107. Fax (817) 288-2750.
Advertising Office: P.O. Box 6114
Temple Texas 76540
Telephone (817) 778-4444 or 634-6666.
Printer: Frank W. Mayborn Enterprises.
Advertising Manager: Robert Smith
Representatives: John Alvey Linda
Sanchez* Laurel Hess Donna Elrod.
Trading Post: 287-0101.
Printed circulation: 25000
Off-post subscriptions: $22 a year.
tractor for each enrollee.
A
list they can get priority on?
A
-W-
dren build schools renovate hospitals fr
roads and coordinate donations of food
clothing and other necessary items. The
train Haitians to be self-sufficient and giv
them a basis in which to take a proactiv
stance in helping themselves.
The servicemembers here are perform
ing a job they can take pride in. They ar
doing a job everyone should applaud. The
are not only serving their country but ar
setting the example of what democracy
all about. They are the Haitian's "helpin
hand" to abetter life and abetter future.
Yes we are still in Haiti. Take some
that precious time to remember and ap
preciate those who serve on hardship de
ployments. At some point it might be yo
are someone you care about down here.
major regional medical centers.
"We need a broad robust patient population an
health-care system that keeps our medics ready fo
any contingency."
TRICARE also ensures availability of health care
even when large numbers of service medics deployj
Joseph cited Operation Joint Endeavor as an example.
"The majority of American service members in
Bosnia deployed from units in Europe" he said. 'Two
years ago that would have been a disaster because
we had not system in place to provide health care to
family members and service members not deployed.
"Because of our success in establishing resource-
sharing agreements under European TRICARE the
deployment and backup health care have been seam-
less" he said.
Resource-sharing impacts stateside TRICARE as
well Joseph said. For example he cited an obstetrics
shortage at Fairchild Air Force Base in eastern Wash-
ington filled by an Army physician from the westerr
part of the state. Regionalizing military health care
greatly enhances availability and accessibility for al
eligible beneficiaries he said and expands the prac-
tices of military physicians.
At Darnall Air Force physicians from Wilford Hal
Air Force Base San Antonio regularly rotate be
tween the two hospitals and an Air Force plastic sur-
geon is permanently assigned to Darnall.
To survive the current environment and meet the
challenges of future environments" Joseph said "w
must be flexible. TRICARE was designed to mee
current needs and what we think future needs will be
As we progress those needs—and the needs of ou
patients—are going to change.
TRICARE with its inherent cost-savings arid ex
pander provider base the assistant secretary of de
fense said provides that flexible response.
and abide by CHAMPUS rules.
My wife is Korean and is enrolled inTRICARE Prime. When vis
iting relatives in Korea can she and our children still use the military
installation for medical care?
If you travel outside the TRICARE Prime service area medicaj
care is limited to emergency services only unless such care has beer
authorized in advance by the Health Care Finder.
You may reach the Health Care Finders at the TRICARE Servicc
Center (Phone 532-0800 or 1-800-406-2832).
The Fort Hood Sentinel is an authorized
publication for members of the U.S. Army.
Contents of the Fort Hood Sentinel are not
necessarily official views of or endorsed by.
the U.S. Government Department of Defense
Department of the Army or III Corps and Fort
Hood. It is published every Thursday by the
III Corps Public Affairs Office.
Everything advertised in flris publication
shall be made available for purchase use or
patronage without regard to race color
religion sex national origin age marital
status physical handicap political affiliation
or any other nonmerit factor of the purchaser
user or patron. If a violation or rejection of
this opportunity policy by an advertiser is
confirmed the printer shall refuse to print
advertising from that source until the
Retirees can't get eye exams through TRICARE. Is there awaiting
Eye exams for retirees retired family members and survivors ar
not a covered benefit under CHAMPUS. There is no waiting list tha
would give anyone priority.
violation is corrected.
All editorial content of the Fort Hood
Sentinel is prepared edited provided and
approved by the III Corps and Fort Hood
Public Affairs Office.
The Fort Hood Senf/ne/welcomes letters from readers. Letters can be
t3 mailed to: Editor Fort Hood Sentinel III Corps Public Affairs Office Fort
Hood Texas 76544.
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The appearance of advertising in this
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Herschel, Sgt. La Donna. The Fort Hood Sentinel (Temple, Tex.), Vol. 54, No. 91, Ed. 1 Thursday, June 27, 1996, newspaper, June 27, 1996; Fort Hood, Texas. (https://texashistory.unt.edu/ark:/67531/metapth310122/m1/4/: accessed April 30, 2024), University of North Texas Libraries, The Portal to Texas History, https://texashistory.unt.edu; crediting Casey Memorial Library.