Military retirees becoming too big a burden for Defense.

• Author: Erwin, Sandra I.
• Position: DEFENSEINSIDER

It's been said a million times: Health expenses are eating the Defense Department's lunch. Defense Secretary Robert Gates recently pleaded again for relief by asking Congress to top obstructing efforts to raise health premiums for military retirees. The Pentagon now covers half-million of them under Tricare. Gates said health costs have escalated from $19 billion a decade ago to $50 billion. The Pentagon is committed to taking care of troops, but covering retirees is becoming too big of a burden. The premiums for Tricare have not risen since the program was founded more than a decade ago. Many working age military retirees--who are earning full-time salaries on top of their full military pensions --are opting for TRICARE even though they...