SRC-AXB S.C.R. 7 76(R)   BILL ANALYSIS


Senate Research Center   S.C.R. 7
By: Moncrief
Veterans Affairs
3/18/1999
As Filed


DIGEST 

After a military retiree's 65th birthday, the retiree is transferred out of
the United States Department of Defense health services program (TRICARE),
and into the Medicare program.  Medicare pharmaceutical benefits are
typically more costly, and the transfer also significantly lowers other
retired veterans' medical care benefits, including access to certain
treatment facilities.  Currently, these retirees receive significantly less
care than other retired federal civilians enrolled in the Federal Employees
Health Benefits Program (FEHBP), and active military duty members enrolled
in TRICARE.  This legislation creates a memorial from Texas to the Congress
of the United States urging the government to restore the promise of
lifetime health care to military retirees who served this country honorably
through allowing their access to FEHBP and TRICARE. 

PURPOSE

As proposed, S.C.R. 7 submits the following resolutions:

That the 76th Legislature of the State of Texas memorialize the Congress of
the United States to keep its promise of providing lifetime health care for
military retirees over the age of 65; to enact comprehensive legislation
which affords military retirees access to the military network of treatment
facilities and health care providers;to require the opening of the Federal
Employees Health Benefits Program to eligible beneficiaries; and to enact
other legislation to restore equitable health care benefits to military
retirees. 

That the Texas Secretary of State forward official copies of this
resolution to the President of the United States, the president of the
senate and speaker of the house of representatives of the United States
Congress, and all members of the Texas delegation to the Congress, with the
request that this resolution be entered in the Congressional Record as a
memorial to the Congress of the United States.