Keep Our Promise to America's Military Retirees Act

Bill: 109-hr-602
Sponsor: Rep. Van Hollen, Chris [D-MD-8]
Introduced: 2005-02-02 in the House
Policy area: Armed Forces and National Security
Subjects: Commerce
Divorce
Drugs
Families
Federal employees
Finance and Financial Sector
Government Operations and Politics
Government employees' health insurance
Health
Insurance premiums
Married people
Medical economics
Medicare
Military dependents
Military hospitals
Military medicine
Pharmacies
Prescription pricing
Retired military personnel
Retiree health benefits
Social Welfare
Survivors' benefits
Veterans' medical care
Widowers
Widows
Women

Summary:
action_date: 2005-02-02
text: 
Keep Our Promise to America's Military Retirees Act - Directs the Secretary of Defense to enter into an agreement with the Office of Personnel Management to provide Federal Employees Health Benefits (FEHB) coverage to the following eligible beneficiaries: (1) a member or former member of the Armed Forces entitled to military retired or retainer pay; (2) an unremarried former spouse who was married to a member for at least 20 years, during which such member performed at least 20 years of retirement-creditable military service; (3) a dependent of a deceased qualifying member or former member; (4) a dependent of a living member or former member; and (5) a family member.
 
Directs the Secretary to reimburse such eligible persons for pharmacy benefits received from a pharmacy that is not a TRICARE (Department of Defense managed health care plan) network pharmacy in the same manner as the Secretary would reimburse such person for such benefits received from a TRICARE network pharmacy. Requires such persons, in order to receive such reimbursement, to submit a certification from their physician stating that the person does not have access to a TRICARE network pharmacy due to physical or medical constraints.
 
Amends title XVIII (Medicare) of the Social Security Act to waive the monthly part B premium (Supplementary Medical Insurance Benefits for the Aged and Disabled) with respect to: (1) an individual who is entitled to military retired or retainer pay based upon service that began before December 7, 1956; and (2) the spouse, widow, or widower of such individuals.


Legislative actions:
action_date: 2005-02-25
text: Referred to the Subcommittee on Health, for a period to be subsequently determined by the Chairman.
action_date: 2005-02-25
text: Referred to the Subcommittee on Trade.
action_date: 2005-02-17
text: Referred to the Subcommittee on Health.
action_date: 2005-02-02
text: Referred to the Committee on Armed Services, and in addition to the Committees on Government Reform, Ways and Means, and Energy and Commerce, for a period to be subsequently determined by the Speaker, in each case for consideration of such provisions as fall within the jurisdiction of the committee concerned.
action_date: 2005-02-02
text: Referred to the Committee on Armed Services, and in addition to the Committees on Government Reform, Ways and Means, and Energy and Commerce, for a period to be subsequently determined by the Speaker, in each case for consideration of such provisions as fall within the jurisdiction of the committee concerned.
action_date: 2005-02-02
text: Referred to the Committee on Armed Services, and in addition to the Committees on Government Reform, Ways and Means, and Energy and Commerce, for a period to be subsequently determined by the Speaker, in each case for consideration of such provisions as fall within the jurisdiction of the committee concerned.
action_date: 2005-02-02
text: Referred to the Committee on Armed Services, and in addition to the Committees on Government Reform, Ways and Means, and Energy and Commerce, for a period to be subsequently determined by the Speaker, in each case for consideration of such provisions as fall within the jurisdiction of the committee concerned.
action_date: 2005-02-02
text: Referred to the Committee on Armed Services, and in addition to the Committees on Government Reform, Ways and Means, and Energy and Commerce, for a period to be subsequently determined by the Speaker, in each case for consideration of such provisions as fall within the jurisdiction of the committee concerned.
action_date: 2005-02-02
text: Sponsor introductory remarks on measure. (CR E150-151)
action_date: 2005-02-02
text: Introduced in House
action_date: 2005-02-02
text: Introduced in House