Senate Limits Tricare Fee Hikes

In July, the Senate Armed Services Committee rejected a Pentagon proposal to increase Tricare fees and perscription co-payments. The Committee did not include the Pentagon proposal in its version of the 2014 Defense Authorization bill (Senate 1197). Therefore, increases to Tricare Prime enrollment fees and pharmacy co-pays are restricted to no more than 1.7%, the 2013 federal cost-of-living adjustment (COLA). According to Military Times, since the 2013 COLA increase would not boost pharmacy co-pays by more than a dollar, the co-pays would most likely remain at their same amount.