Reservists, Guard members deserve TRICARE

Our National Guard and Reserve forces have been called to serve like never before. By heroically answering the call to service these brave men and women are making huge contributions to our strong national defense, helping our great nation fight and win the war on terrorism.

However, our military victories overseas have come at no small cost to our Guard members and reservists. Their families have willingly and proudly sent a husband, a wife, a son or a daughter from the workplace into a combat theater. As we face extended and increased troop deployments, we must be attentive to their unique situations and be ready to meet their needs.

The unfortunate reality for many of our Guard members and reservists is that nearly 20 percent of them do not have health care in the private sector. The more troublesome result is that a significant number of these individuals are called to active duty but are unable to serve because of medical problems.

FOR TOO LONG, our Guard members and reservists have been treated as part-time employees without access to important health-care benefits. Providing our reserve component with additional health-care benefits will increase troop readiness, ensure fairness and help meet their basic needs. The need for a health-care benefit is one of the No. 1 concerns for a majority of our Guard members and reservists, and we understand how much that single benefit means to their families.

That's why we are pleased to report that Congress has approved a plan to expand the current military health-care system, TRICARE, to eligible members of the Guard and reserves and their families.

Currently, members of the reserve and their families are eligible for TRICARE only while on active duty. This bipartisan provision increases the length of time that eligible reservists are able to receive TRICARE coverage.

UNDER THE new requirements, Guard members and reservists who serve on active duty under federal orders for 90 consecutive days will be eligible for one year of post-activation TRICARE coverage. For every additional 90 days of service, they will be eligible for an additional year of health care coverage.

Under this new benefit, the Department of Defense will pay approximately 72 percent of the cost, and the reservists will be responsible for paying the remaining 28 percent. This program is retroactive to Sept. 11, 2001, and the Department of Defense has six months to identify those who are eligible and design guidelines for its implementation.

The plan also includes a provision to permanently expand the pre- and post-deployment eligibility guidelines for TRICARE. Currently, Guard members and reservists become eligible for TRICARE up to 90 days before receiving their activation orders and can remain on the health-care system for 180 days after they are deactivated. The provision makes this policy permanent and applies to all members of the Guard and reserves.

THIS IS GREAT news for our Guard members and reservists. Now these families can look forward to added benefits to help ease the strain of their loved ones' deployment. It's the least we can do to ensure these troops have access to the health care they need to be ready to answer when called on to serve.

Both Georgia and South Carolina have deployed National Guard and reserve forces throughout the world. These men and women are currently serving our country with honor and distinction, making incredible sacrifices. We are proud to send this message of encouragement and support to these honorable men and women, and we look forward to the positive impact this added benefit will have on these individuals and their families.

(Editor's note: The writers, respectively U.S. senators from Georgia and South Carolina, serve on the Senate Armed Services Committee. Chambliss is chairman of the Senate Armed Services Subcommittee on Personnel, and serves as co-chairman of the Senate Reserve Caucus. Graham is the only U.S. senator to currently serve in a Guard or reserve unit.)