Sure I looked at it. After all I am interested even if it was intended for someone else at this address...like maybe another "BENEFICIARY" here...my wife.
But then I thought, 'I have to be a little more critical as the spin seems a little off.'
First the easy stuff; Why do I have to be referred to as "TRICARE BENEFICIARY?" After all, if they can include my address, can't they include my name? How about Mr. and Mrs. Tom Campbell or something similar? And why do I have to be called "beneficiary?" Does that word make it seem like I am on the dole somehow? But that's okay, I don't want to nit pick here...or do I?
The next thing that caught my attention was the heading; "An Excellent Value." Now I do not recall exactly when the implied promise of a lifetime of health care was taken off the book of expectations for military retirees but it is clear...that promise is gone. In the meantime, I will likely never consider TRICARE an "excellent value" because... Airman Basic Tom Campbell figured if he stuck around for 20 or more years, health care would be one thing he wouldn't have to worry about. This wasn't just implied, it was stated many times by superiors and in print.
Next; "Generous Coverage" Now I am starting to get a little rankled. "Generous?" Someone is being generous with me after I served for 24 years? I don't think so. To me, "generous" describes the $188,000 a year a retired fire chief here in Sacramento gets (just read this in the Bee today).
"Superior health care?" Well, everyone claims to deliver that, but I won't debate it. I hold TRICARE (then CRI) enrollment card #2. Doctor Jim Shubert, RIP, holds #1). I served with Jim at Foundation Health when TRICARE first rolled out and I think our combined military/civilian health system was and is terrific. I have been enrolled for more than 25 years now and have always believed I and my family had access to the best of whatever care we needed.
"Decisions are health driven, not insurance driven" Agree, and that is the way it should be for our entire nation. In the end, we all end up paying for those who neglect health care for lack of insurance and end up clogging the emergency rooms and chronic care functions of our system. In fact, if we got at them with decent health care early, it wouldn't cost as much. Oh yea, and we are all paying around 20 cents of each health care dollar to insurance executives so they will "contain costs."
"High satisfaction with care." Hear, hear! There is nothing puffed up about that at all. We have known this ever since the first independent assessment was conducted by the Rand Corporation in 1990.
"Low out-of-pocket costs." True but...I am supposed to be thankful for that?! Nope. Never happen. (See previous argument about "An Excellent Value")
"Easy access" Hear, hear again! Two thumbs up to companies such as Foundation Health now HealthNet, Humana, TriWest and recently, United Health for doing a fine job here but let's not forget; they are all getting paid and paid well. Example; one CEO who came on right after CRI start up, claimed credit for "turning the company around," then left with over $30 million in his pocket after maybe 4 years. So tell me, how much health care would $30 million buy?
So why is it necessary to put all that hyperbole on the front page of the TRICARE newsletter? Why 'sell' something when the newsletter is aimed at existing enrollees? Maybe there is a group of communications specialists at all these companies who are paid to make sure all documents include this stuff. In fact, maybe it is the same folks who were doing it over 25 years ago. Enrollees are mighty happy with the program and will continue to sign up in droves for lack of even a close second in terms of options. Just give us the facts and please, don't insult us by spinning a story about how lucky we are. We in the military kept comm specialists, their bosses and elected officials free so they could keep legislating, writing and getting paid the big bucks...you know, them and the fire chiefs and CEOs. We earned our humble place in the scheme of things.
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