Senate OKs Leahy Plan To Expand
Guard And Reserve Health Benefits

. . . Builds On Last Year's Tricare Breakthrough

WASHINGTON (Wednesday, June 2) – The U.S. Senate Wednesday afternoon approved a package of health care insurance benefits for members of the National Guard and Reserves Wednesday authored by Sens. Patrick Leahy (D-Vt.), Lindsey Graham (R-S.C.) and Tom Daschle (D-S.D.).

The package, approved by a vote of 70 to 25, builds on the landmark Guard and Reserves health insurance legislation that Leahy and his allies steered through Congress last year.  Their new package would make permanent last year’s improvements in health benefits for Guard and Reservists; expand the availability of TRICARE health insurance -- the military health insurance program -- to every member of the Selected Reserves; and allow families of activated Reservists and Guard members to keep their civilian health insurance to avoid complicated and difficult transition periods.

“Our Guard and the Reserves are doing more for us than ever before, both at home and abroad,” Leahy said during Senate debate on the bill Wednesday afternoon. “In the war on terrorism, they are a 21st Century fighting force, but with only 20th Century health insurance.  In fairness to them and their families, and in the interest of military readiness, these health care upgrades should be a high priority."

In 2003, Leahy led a similar bipartisan coalition of senators in enacting legislation that ensured that every member of the Guard and Reserves had health insurance.  A 2002 General Accounting Office report showed that 20 percent of Guard members and Reservists who are drilling and ready to deploy do not have adequate health insurance.  Leahy pointed out that the lack of heath insurance threatened the force's readiness and health, as well as recruiting and retention.

The provisions advanced by Leahy and enacted last fall were limited to uninsured members and are set to expire this year.  The package of provisions approved Wednesday by the Senate will make those benefits permanent and expand them to underinsured Guard and Reservists and their family members.

Specifically, the package passed by the Senate improves Guard and Reserves readiness and retention by:

•           Providing access to TRICARE, the military health system, to all Guard and Reserve members and their families for a modest annual premium and regardless of deployment status.  Premiums would be about $530/year for individual coverage and $1,860/year for families.

•           Covering a portion of the health care premium for reservists and their families who opt to keep their private health coverage when called to active duty.

Leahy is the co-chair of the Senate National Guard Caucus and a senior member of the Defense Subcommittee of the Appropriations Committee. 

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