Housing Allowance Shouldn't Stop Hungry Troops From Getting Food Stamps, Senators Say
The result is a bill pending in Congress -- sponsored by Sens. Tammy Duckworth, D-Ill., and Lisa Murkowski, R-Alaska -- that would exclude the military's Basic Allowance for Housing, or BAH, from income calculations used to determine eligibility for the Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program.
Pearl Harbor Base Says Water Is Safe To Drink After Water Main Fix
The leaders of Joint Base Pearl Harbor-Hickam, Hawaii, say that the base has recovered from its latest water crisis after a base-wide boil advisory was lifted Friday.
Is Your Pharmacy Leaving The Tricare Network In A Few Days?
With just days before 15,000 community and independent pharmacies will leave the Tricare retail pharmacy network, questions remain about the impact on patients' ability to get their medications.
DOD Announces Efforts To Ensure Access To Reproductive Health Care
By: Department Of Defense Press Release
Secretary of Defense Lloyd J. Austin III announced on Oct.20 that the Department will take all appropriate action, within its authority and consistent with applicable federal law, as soon as possible to ensure that Service members and their families can access reproductive health care and health care providers can operate effectively.
To ensure consistency across the Force, Secretary Austin has directed the Department to:
• Establish additional privacy protections for reproductive health care information, including standardizing and extending the time Service members have to fulfill their obligation to notify commanders of a pregnancy to no later than 20 weeks unless specific requirements to report sooner, such as those necessitated by occupational health hazards, are set forth in policy.
• Disseminate guidance that directs Department of Defense health care providers that they may not notify or disclose reproductive health information to commanders unless this presumption is overcome by specific exceptions set forth in policy, such as risk of harm to mission, occupational safety requirements, or acute medical conditions interfering with duty.
• Disseminate guidance that directs commanders to display objectivity and discretion when addressing reproductive health care matters and underscores their duty to enforce existing policies against discrimination and retaliation in the context of reproductive health care choices.
To support our health care providers, Secretary Austin has directed the Department to:
• Develop a program to reimburse applicable fees, as appropriate and consistent with applicable federal law, for Department of Defense health care providers who wish to become licensed in a different state than that in which they are currently licensed in order to support the performance of official duties.
• Develop a program to support Department of Defense health care providers who are subject to adverse action, including civil or criminal penalties or loss of license or reprimand, for appropriately performing their official duties, to include the indemnification of any verdict, judgment, or other monetary award consistent with applicable law.
To ensure that we can recruit, retain, and maintain the readiness of a highly qualified force and mitigate the practical effects identified above, Secretary Austin has directed the Department to:
• Create uniform Department of Defense policy that allows for appropriate administrative absence consistent with applicable federal law for non-covered reproductive health care.
• Establish travel and transportation allowances for Service members and their dependents, as appropriate and consistent with applicable federal law and operational requirements, and as necessary amend any applicable travel regulations, to facilitate official travel to access non-covered reproductive health care that is unavailable within the local area of a Service member's permanent duty station.
Additionally, to improve awareness of the resources and support available to Service members, their families, and other eligible beneficiaries, Secretary Austin has directed the Department to:
• Conduct a comprehensive contraception education campaign to enhance Service members' awareness of the resources available to them and their families, including emergency contraception. That education campaign will also highlight the fact that the Department of Defense has eliminated TRICARE co-pays for medical contraceptive services, including intrauterine devices.
• Expand publicly displayed information on these topics which will highlight the resources available to Service members and other eligible beneficiaries if they experience difficulties accessing reproductive health care at military medical treatment facilities.
• Improve the TRICARE and other Military Health System websites to clarify the types of medical care that are available through the Military Health System following any abortion, regardless of whether it is performed, or paid for, by the Department of Defense at a military medical treatment facility or by a TRICARE authorized provider.
• Update the Military Health System websites, HEALTH.mil and TRICARE.mil, to include a clear and easy-to-find point of contact that Service members or beneficiaries can contact to request assistance if they experience difficulty accessing reproductive health care.
The Under Secretary of Defense for Personnel and Readiness will oversee implementation of the above directed actions, to include through policy memoranda, prioritizing first the issuance of departmental policies on privacy protections, as well as policies on administrative absence and travel and transportation allowances for non-covered reproductive health care.
Updates the Program of Comprehensive Assistance for Family Caregivers (PCAFC) of the Department of Veterans Affairs (VA) by requiring the VA to continue providing assistance to a family caregiver for at least six months after the death of a veteran participating in the program.
Requires the VA to establish a process by which veterans who are determined to have the most significant need for caregiver assistance are permanently eligible for such assistance.
Requires the VA to standardize the criteria used across all facilities in its required evaluations of the needs of the veterans and the skills of the family caregiver.
Standardizes criteria used in accepting and evaluating applications for participation in the program across all facilities.
Support the CHAMPVA Children's Care Protection Act!
This bill provides that a child shall be eligible for medical care under the Civilian Health and Medical Program of the Department of Veterans Affairs (CHAMPVA) until the child's 26th birthday, regardless of marital status.
Support the AUTO for Veterans Act!
Link to Advocacy Campaign: https://www.votervoice.net/AFSA/campaigns/92795/respond
Legislation Summary
The Advancing Uniform Transportation Opportunities for Veterans "AUTO" Act would reduce the financial burden incurred by virtue of military service by ensuring severely disabled veterans receive a grant from the VA's Automobile Assistance Grant program to purchase a specially equipped vehicle once every ten years - as opposed to only once.
Support the Aid and Attendance Support Act!
Link to Advocacy Campaign: https://www.votervoice.net/AFSA/campaigns/92792/respond
Legislation Summary
The Aid and Attendance Support Act temporarily increases eligible disabled veterans' and surviving spouses' Aid and Attendance (A&A) allowance by 25%.
Support the Ensuring Survivor Benefits during COVID-19 Act!
The Ensuring Survivor Benefits During COVID-19 Act requires the VA to solicit a medical opinion to determine if a service-connected disability was the principal or contributory cause of death in situations where a veteran's death certificate identifies COVID-19 as the principal or contributory cause of death, the certificate does not clearly identify any of the veteran's service-connected disabilities as the principal or contributory cause of death, and a claim for dependence and indemnity compensation is filed with respect to the veteran.
Ensures Reservists and National Guard members have no-fee healthcare through TRICARE Reserve Select that covers medical and dental coverage.
Fixes the parity gap for Reserve Component retirees receiving early retirement pay due to deployment credits making them eligible for TRICARE upon receipt of retirement pay.
Provides an incentive for small businesses to hire Reserve and National Guard members by ensuring their healthcare costs are covered.
Ensures service members can access physicals needed to be ready for no-notice deployments (which have increased over the past year).
Eliminates the statutory language that excludes Federal Employees Health Benefits Program eligible service members from TRICARE Reserve Select eligibility.
Support the Advancing Toward Impact Aid Full Funding Act!
Link to Advocacy Campaign: https://www.votervoice.net/AFSA/campaigns/92818/respond
Legislation Summary
The Advancing Toward Impact Aid Full Funding Act would:
Split Impact Aid's $1.1 billion request evenly over five years, across three main categories for funding: Basic Support, Federal Property, and Children with Disabilities.
Increase Basic Support funding by $190 million annually, meeting Impact Aid's 2019 funding requests.
Increase Federal Property funding proportionally to Basic Support (BSP) by allocating an additional $11 million annually.
Increase funding for Children with Disabilities by $9 million annually, funding $2,000 per eligible student.
Advance national K-12 school systems to become more equitable and meet educational needs.
Support military families that are especially impacted by federally tax-exempt land.
Support the Health Care Fairness for Military Families Act!
Link to Advocacy Campaign: https://www.votervoice.net/AFSA/campaigns/92815/respond
Legislation Summary
Modifies the extension of dependent coverage under TRICARE by allowing a dependent at the age of 26 to be covered without an additional premium.
Authorizes such coverage of dependents without a premium regardless of whether they are eligible to enroll in an employer-sponsored plan.
Support Expanding TRICARE Cranial Remolding Helmet Coverage!
Link to Advocacy Campaign: https://www.votervoice.net/AFSA/campaigns/92802/respond
AFSA urges our nation's elected officials to support legislation that would expand the scope of TRICARE's coverage of the DOC Band Post-Op device if your baby:
Is three to 18 months old; and
Is diagnosed with craniosynostosis or nonsynostotic positional plagiocephaly (to include torticollis)
Support the Jobs and Childcare for Military Families Act!
Link to Advocacy Campaign: https://www.votervoice.net/AFSA/campaigns/92799/respond
Legislation Summary
Allow an employer a work opportunity tax credit for hiring the spouse or domestic partner of a member of the Armed Forces.
Specifically, an employer may receive a tax credit equal to 40% of a new employee's first-year wages if the employer hires a service member's spouse or domestic partner (as recognized under state law or by the Armed Forces).
Create programs for service members to pay for childcare on a pretax basis.
Specifically, the Department of Defense and the Department of Homeland Security (with respect to the Coast Guard) must implement flexible spending arrangements that permit members of the Armed Forces to use basic pay and compensation to pay on a pretax basis for dependent childcare.
Support the Retired Pay Restoration Act!
Link to Advocacy Campaign: https://www.votervoice.net/AFSA/campaigns/92798/respond
Legislation Summary
Allowsthe receipt of both military retiredpay and veterans' disability compensation with respect to any service-connected disability.
Extends full concurrent receipt eligibility to individuals who were retired or separated after at least 20 years of military service due to a service-connected disability.
Call To Action:Share How TRICARE's coverage of the Dynamic Orthotic Cranioplasty (DOC) Band Post-Op device negatively impact your family's quality of life!
For the past year, our Military and Government Relations Team has been working with AFSA military families on getting legislation introduced that would expand the scope of TRICARE's coverage of the DOC Band Post-Op device if a baby:
Is three to 18 months old; and
Is diagnosed with craniosynostosis or nonsynostotic positional plagiocephaly (to include torticollis)
Despite unsuccessful efforts (via FOIA request) to obtain important data for the purpose of quantifying the need of this issue in the aggregate, our Team is looking to hear from the field to share your story and help have your voice heard by members of Congress.
Issue Background
Helmet therapy is used to gently correct the shape of babies' skulls over time.
Newborn babies' skulls are soft plates with spaces between them. As the baby grows, these plates grow, gradually harden, and knit together.
Unfortunately, there are circumstances under which the soft plates may develop a flat spot or uneven appearance. This condition is called plagiocephaly.
Today, almost one in two babies (47%) is affected by some form of plagiocephaly.
When the baby's skull joins together too early, or in an abnormal way, this is called craniosynostosis. There are several types of craniosynostosis, depending on when the baby's skull joins together.
Today, it is estimated that 1 in every 2,500 babies has craniosynostosis.
Positional skull deformities and/or abnormalities - whether diagnosed as a form of plagiocephaly or craniosynostosis - can have short and long term health effects on a child.
However, despite this, TRICARE only covers the Dynamic Orthotic Cranioplasty (DOC) Band Post-Op device, synonymously referred to as a "molding helmet," if your baby:
Is three to 18 months old; and
Has had craniosynostoris surgery;
But still has a misshaped skull.
In other words, cranial molding helmet(s) are not covered for the treatment of nonsynostotic positional plagiocephaly or for the treatment of craniosynostosis before surgery; despite medical evidence that suggests the presence or absence of congenital or acquired plagiocephaly (to include torticollis) can, at the very least, increase the risk of gross motor development.
In fact, according to the American Academy of Pediatrics school-aged children with moderate to severe plagiocephaly scored lower than controls on cognitive and academic measures.
As a result, military families - who face unique challenges given the sacrifices that come along with serving our country - have been put in the tragic position to either front the hefty cost of the helmet (approximately $2,000), seek alternative forms of treatment that may not be preferred, or forego treatment altogether.
We are pleased to share the AFSA Set-It-Forever/Auto Pay procedures and marketing materials to help share the process with our members, your membership and potential new recruits.
The Set-It-Forever/Auto Pay program creates an opportunity to JOIN AFSA or RENEW a membership by making a $36 once-a-year/every-year auto payment, or a $4-each-month/every- month auto payment. The $36 once-a-year option is set at $36, and the $4-a-month option includes a bank processing fee of $1 each month.
Review the two ways to enroll, the benefits to using the auto-pay option, and the marketing materials to help share the details of this program and ensure its success.
For questions, please contact AFSAHQ Member & Field team at 800-638-0594 x 288.
Please Update Your Contact Information Today!
Dear Air Force Sergeants Association Member,
In order for the AFSA to effectively communicate with our members, it is essential to ensure we have your current and / or valid e-mail address. We are in the process of updating our records and need your help! Please take a moment to ensure that we have your most current mail and email address (no .mil's); and accurate membership listing information.
We've made it easy, as you can update your information in either one of three ways:
Call Member & Field Relations team directly at 800-638-0594 x 288 (Mon. - Fri. 8:00 am to 5:00 pm (EST)
Email to: msvcs@hqafsa.org
Visit www.hqafsa.org and select the UPDATE button on the right
We thank you in advance for your support and prompt updates.
In sum, as a result, low-income military families are excluded from the program, which is more widely known as food stamps, according to advocates who have repeatedly brought up this issue.
The purpose of food stamps is to offer food-purchase vouchers to families who fall under a specific income criterion. Despite the fact that the Department of Agriculture administers the program, individual states are in charge of determining who is qualified, which presents difficulties for military members who frequently move from one state to another. Military families could, as a result, become lost in the system.
According to a 2019 survey, 15% of military families reported having trouble providing adequate food for their households. Given that there are approximately 1.3 million active-duty personnel, the number of troops who struggle to get meals is likely in the hundreds of thousands. However, just over 22,000 active-duty soldiers actually utilized the food stamp program, according to a report from the Government Accountability Office for the same year.
Since its introduction in March, there has been no progress on the bill. However, Murkowski stated this week in an interview with Military.com that she would prefer to see it linked to the annual military policy measure that the Senate is anticipated to vote on in November, or another year-end legislative vehicle if it is not included in the defense bill.
In addition, the last remaining restriction following a sizable water main break on October 14 has been lifted, according to a letter from the base's commander, Capt. Mark Sohaney, that was published on Facebook on Friday. The letter stated that the most recent round of tests "showed no bacteria present in your water system." The breach, which was followed by a string of smaller ruptures, not only resulted in the boil advisory but also in the closure of other base functions. The installation also advised certain employees to stay at home in an effort to save water.
The original 36-inch water main break had been fixed, the Navy reported on October 19; but, until testing could be done, those on station shouldn't consume water without boiling it first. The most recent test results, which are what led Sohaney to ultimately lift the boil alert on Friday, were examined and approved by Hawaii's Department of Health, according to Sohaney's letter.
The water main break delayed plans to begin transferring petroleum from the now-shuttered Red Hill fuel storage facility in addition to complicating life on post for service members and their families.
And lastly, according to the National Community Pharmacists Association, the pharmacy network will be reduced on Monday by TRICARE and Express Scripts, potentially affecting as many as 400,000 TRICARE beneficiaries. 14,963 of the approximately 55,586 retail pharmacies in the TRICARE network will close down for not agreeing to the terms of payment and other requirements.
U.S. Public Health Service Cmdr. Teisha Robertson stated this during a TRICARE pharmacy webinar on October 20. As a result, those pharmacies will no longer be in the network, and beneficiaries who continue to use them will pay full price for their prescription drugs before filing for reimbursement, which is subject to the deductible as well as a higher out-of-network cost share. In the Defense Health Agency's pharmacy operations branch, Robertson works as a pharmacist.
There are concerns over the loss of those nearly 15,000 in-network pharmacies.
And that's the way it is for Tuesday, October 25, 2022.
Stay tuned for our next M&G-B, where we will continue to keep you in the loop on all things pertinent to the coronavirus, veterans, active-duty members, guards and reservists, and military family members. Stay happy, and stay healthy!
