As the son of a now-retired US military officer, I grew up with the benefit of a US public healthcare plan, which included direct care provided by doctors (paid by our government) at military hospitals and clinics. My family and I (like all military families) also enjoyed the option of using insurance the government offered for private doctors of our choice.
I wanted to post a diary to spark some investigation into the Military Health System and the program known as TriCare which the military touts as "the best, most comprehensive health benefit available to any American."
TRICARE is the health care program serving active duty service members, National Guard and Reserve members, retirees, their families, survivors and certain former spouses worldwide. As a major component of the Military Health System, TRICARE brings together the health care resources of the uniformed services and supplements them with networks of civilian health care professionals, institutions, pharmacies and suppliers to provide access to high-quality health care services while maintaining the capability to support military operations
While I have seen references to the VA in reference to single payer and a similar argument appears in the oft-cited public healthcare politicians receive, I would encourage anyone with experience in the military system to talk about it in public venues and mention it when they contact legislators to help counter fear tactics about government's role in health care. As Markos is former military, I'd be interested to hear about his experiences (more recent than mine).
There are a variety of plans in this government system including:
The US Family Health Plan which is available through networks of community-based, not-for-profit health care systems in six areas of the US.
They have managed care in conjunction with private companies like
Humana Military Healthcare Services, Inc. a wholly-owned subsidiary of Humana Inc.
There's TRICARE For Life which acts as a back up to medicare.
They have annual reports dating back to 1999 availble as pdf and as web pages.
Our government has been exploring and operating many different ways to mesh government, non-profit and private healthcare for some time. The insurance industry and the far-right don't want people to know. A narrow debate including only for-profit corporate insurance is to their advantage.