Greg Walden introduces plan to protect health care access for Oregon military retirees

Rep. Greg Walden (R-Ore.) today introduced a bill, the TRICARE Protection Act, to protect thousands of Oregon military retirees from changes to TRICARE Prime that will soon be implemented by the Pentagon. He was joined by Rep. Suzanne Bonamici (D-Ore.) and Rep. Mark Amodei (R-Nev.) in writing the bipartisan plan.

"Thousands of Oregonians who have worn our nation's uniform are at risk of losing access to their health care provider when the popular TRICARE Prime option is eliminated for many beneficiaries by the Pentagon. This could mean higher out-of-pocket costs and longer drives for many Oregon military retirees. These heroes have put their lives on the line for our freedom. They deserve the very best care our nation has to offer," Rep. Walden said.

"Our common-sense, bipartisan proposal will require the Pentagon to report on the impact these changes will have on Oregon military retirees and their families, so they will know what is being planned. It also requires that the Pentagon guarantee that those affected retain access to a primary care doctor for two years to allow for a smooth transition under the switch," Rep. Walden said.

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