For our first panel, and we will now call of our second panel. Vikki so much, both of you, for your testimony. [inaudible conversations] [inaudible conversations] we now welcome our second panel for witnesses, outside with his socalled, retired army general john kelly junior, the chairman of the board of the military Officers Association of america. Retired army general gordon sullivan, president and chief executive officer of the association of the United States army. Retired air force Master Sergeant richard delaney, National President , retired enlisted association. Dr. David chu, president and chief executive officer of institute for defense analysis. Dr. Chu served as undersecretary of defense for personnel and readiness under president bush in 20012009. Now, we also want to note in our audience that we have with us a number of veterans, particularly im informed we would welcome veterans from all our veterans, that would of these include a special group, veterans of rewards and ir
Think that we would be a lot more successful by now and for us they are doing it at the local level using the county stakeholders and we are very fortunate that we have the counties support to allow us to tap into these different resources but we have to replicate that acceptability in every county and in every city if it doesnt come topdown. Typically at the end of the four runs people leave more depressed than when they came. At times we have been accused of designing before in the floor in the program to make people more worried. I dont know about everybody else, but i at least am more optimistic and hopeful and i think that we should end this on an upbeat note so please join me in thanking our speakers and i look forward to seeing you again and i can promise you that it will be less optimistic. Plus a live picture from the Brookings Institution as we bring you a discussion this morning on the military Health Care System we hear from a number of Defense Department officials as well
To me that the connection between the military, the activeduty military and the va was terrible symbolized by the fact that we had incompatible electronic record systems. And that apparently have given up trying to harmonize billions of dollars in ten years at least. I wont get into a number, i will accept wholeheartedly the spirit of your question and answer it in a couple of different ways. The military Health System in the va system initially had Different Missions and the whole idea was after the Second World War and the words before now if you got ill or injured you are going to move on. That degree of of coordination at a time when health care was simpler served its purpose. Fastforward purpose. Fast forward to the 21st century and that is neither acceptable or desired because of the complexity of care. We have committed to harmonizing and working on that transition, and i cochaired the Health Executive committee with the under secretary of the va to work across some broad areas
We now have Health Care System in which it your income is less than four times the official poverty threshold for a family of four is now in the vicinity of 90,000 a year, scaled down for smaller families, you are eligible for subsidies, refundable tax credits and assistance with cost sharing, on a sliding scale that starts with recently complete coverage of what is called the Silver Health plan and that is the premium that is charged for a Health Care Plan that covers 70 of the covered Health Care Services on an actuarial basis. Plans can provide that coverage in different ways. Many people also want more generous coverage or they receive it through and foyer sponsored plans. If you buy through a Health Exchange you can buy plans that cover up to 90 of the cost of coverage which leaves relatively small amounts for deductibles where there may not be anybody or cost sharing only for certain services. It is very generous coverage. Perhaps not as generous as try care is not described as b
Let me just add one clarifying d before we take the first volunteer on these questions. And, again, framing the discussion today, as youre aware, weve got an active secretary, assistant secretary. Weve got a former comptroller, and we have other people who are brainstorming. And so youre hearing different ideas in different veins, and i just want to underscore that point. I think that was something that alice was driving at earlier, and ill make start with her if you wish to begin with either of those questions. Well, let me certainly, one of the problems is theres political opposition to anything that looks like a benefit reduction to anyone, and that applies to military, to military retirees, to Medicare Beneficiaries, and its one of the reasons i think for looking at these changes across the whole system at the same time. And its certainly possible that medicare, which is at the moment having some success in holding down costs as is the military Health System can survive over the lo