Pentagon Policy Strips Weight-Loss โคDrug Coverage from Longest-Serving Veterans, Lawsuit Alleges
WASHINGTON – A โคpolicy enacted by the Department of Defense (DOD) is unlawfully denying weight-loss medication coverage to military retirees enrolled inโ Tricare for Life (TFL), a programโฃ for โฃbeneficiaries whoโค are โalso eligible for Medicare, according to a recent โฃopinion piece authored by aโ concerned veteran. The dispute centers on access to obesity treatments โauthorized โunder the FY 2017 National Defense Authorizationโ Act.
Whileโฃ the law authorized programs for “covered beneficiaries” across all Tricare plans, the Pentagon implemented the authority narrowly, excluding TFL enrollees. This resulted in a โคtieredโค system โคwhere โa 64-year-old retiree onโ Tricare Select pays a $35 co-pay for the same medication,โฃ while a TFLโ beneficiary faces costs ranging from $499 to $1,349 monthly.Theโ veteran argues this selective implementation contradicts the intent of a uniform formularyโข mandated byโ law. โThe DOD, they contend, is misinterpreting โคregulations, specifically utilizingโ one thatโ “expressly excludes Tricareโ forโค life” to justify the benefit โฃreduction.
The financial burden is especially acute for retirees on fixed incomes, โขmany of whom suffer from service-connected injuries that limit mobility andโ make โweight loss through exerciseโ difficult.The author asserts the โขpolicy forces veterans to choose between essentialโข medicationsโข and basic โคnecessities.Theโ veteran โคcalls on Congress to take immediate action, including:โ suspending the policy pending โreview; โคinvestigatingโฃ the DOD’sโค justification; clarifying through statute thatโ TFL beneficiaries shouldโ have the same drug access as other Tricare enrollees; and requiringโ public accountability from the DOD regarding its decision-making โprocess. โข
“‘Tricareโข for Life’ was โmeant to beโ just that – for life,” the author writes. “Not ‘forโ lifeโ with exceptions,’ notโ ‘for life untill you’re too โขold.'” They further stateโข that if the Pentagon deems the medications too costly, โit should seek additional funding authorization fromโฃ Congress rather than restricting โฃaccess through regulatory maneuvering.
