TRICARE Fairness for National Guard and Reserve Retirees Act
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This bill would allow Retired Reserve members receiving early retirement pay to purchase TRICARE health coverage before age 60.
What it does
This bill would allow certain members of the Retired Reserve who are under age 60 to purchase the same TRICARE health coverage available to other retired military personnel. The proposal would align health care eligibility with the age at which these individuals begin receiving retired pay, rather than requiring them to use TRICARE Retired Reserve coverage until age 60. This change would specifically apply to National Guard and Reserve retirees who qualify for early retirement pay based on their active duty service.
Who is affected
This bill affects members of the Retired Reserve, including former National Guard and Reserve personnel, who are under the age of 60 but have begun receiving retired pay due to active duty performance. These individuals would become eligible to purchase TRICARE health coverage intended for retired military personnel rather than the TRICARE Retired Reserve plan. The bill specifically impacts those who retired between the ages of 50 and 60 based on their service records.
Key provisions
- Alignment of TRICARE eligibility with retirement pay age. The bill synchronizes the age at which Retired Reserve members become eligible for standard TRICARE health coverage with the age they begin receiving retired pay.
- Expansion of TRICARE health coverage options for early retirees. Retired Reserve personnel under age 60 who are receiving retirement pay would be permitted to purchase the same TRICARE coverage available to other retired military personnel. This replaces the current requirement that these individuals use TRICARE Retired Reserve until reaching age 60.
Fiscal impact
Not applicable: No CBO cost estimate available
Effective dates
Not applicable: Official Summary does not address effective dates
Relationship to existing law
This bill amends Title 10 of the United States Code to modify eligibility requirements for the TRICARE program. It changes existing law to allow certain members of the Retired Reserve who receive retired pay before age 60 to transition from TRICARE Retired Reserve coverage to the standard TRICARE health coverage for retired military personnel.
Stated purpose
The bill aims to align TRICARE health coverage eligibility with the age at which Retired Reserve members begin receiving retired pay. It allows these retirees to purchase standard TRICARE coverage for retired military personnel once they begin receiving pay, even if they are under the age of 60.