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.