Issue 2007-11 — November, 2007

This newsletter is published monthly by the Military Retiree Assistance Office outside Osan Air Base in Pyeongtaek, Korea. It is provided primarily for the information of retirees of all services and their families living in the Republic of Korea (South Korea). The information contained herein may not necessarily reflect the views or official positions of the Department of Defense, the U.S. military services and their component commands. If you are receiving this newsletter directly by e-mail, it is because you have subscribed to it and confirmed the subscription. To subscribe or unsubscribe, please follow the instructions contained at the end of the newsletter. All issues of the newsletter are maintained in HTML, PDF Print and Text formats on an index at the Retiree Activities Office web site. The index allows direct access to each news item in each newsletter. Contact the MRAO: in Korea 031-663-0319; outside Korea 82-31-663-0319; e-mail: mrao@rao-osan.com

Notices

Korea Retirees' Schedule of Events

• Nov 6 – For USAG-Red Cloud, your Retirement Services Officer will be at Camp Casey, Maude Hall, Room 139, from 0900-1300.
• Nov 10 – The Retirement Services Officer will be in Daegu to participate in the USAG-Daegu Retiree Appreciation Day (see the Notice below for details on the event).
• Nov 12 – The Retirement Services Office will be closed for the Veterans Day holiday.
• Nov 13 – For USAG-Yongsan, your Retirement Services Officer will be at Yongsan in the Soldier Support Center, Bldg 4034, Room 140, from 0900-1300.
• Nov 20 – For USAG-Daegu, your Retirement Services Officer will be at Camp Henry's Education Center, Bldg 1820, from 1000-1300
• Nov 22-23 – The Retirement Services Office will be closed for the Thankgiving Day holiday.
• Nov 27 – For USAG-Yongsan, your Retirement Services Officer will be at Yongsan in the Soldier Support Center, Bldg 4034, Room 140, from 0900-1300.

Retirees Lose Mortuary Services

Mr. Al McFarland, the USFK Mortuary Officer, has assumed worldwide responsibilities for mortuary services for active duty deaths. Due to the extensive travel schedule this involves, the Yongsan Mortuary is no longer able to provide mortuary services to retirees, their families and survivors.

I currently have no more information than this, and it raises many questions. What happens if a retiree or retiree family member dies in the 121st Combat Support Hospital or other military facility? Who handles the space available transportation if a retiree's family wants to have the body returned to the U.S. via military air transport? Who issues the DD Form 2064 death certificate? I will get with Mr. McFarland (and other agencies as necessary) to get the answers to these and other questions you might have. Updated information will be posted at http://www.rao-osan.com under "Korea Casualty" when and as it becomes available.

Korea Retirement Services Office

Keep Your Address Current in DEERS

Do you know your correct mailing address? Does DEERS know it? The Defense Eligibility and Enrollment Reporting System (DEERS) is the primary source for knowing how to get a letter to you. As part of the preparations for the Yongsan Retiree Appreciation Day, the Retirement Services Office obtained a DEERS data base extract, known as the Retired Address Finder, of retirees with a Korea mailing address.

The first discovery was the number of incorrectly formatted addresses carried in the data base. This is particularly true of those with APO 96204 and 96205 addresses that had serious format errors which had to be corrected. The second discovery came when the undeliverable mail started returning to the RSO. To date, 210 were returned out of 1,872 sent. That's more than 11%.

Please do yourself a favor and ensure your correct mailing address is listed in DEERS. For those who didn't get the Retiree Appreciation Day notification, you need to get the current address entered. For those with 96204 and 96205 addresses and some others, you should verify the correct format for your address and then ensure that's what's carried in DEERS. You might be pleasantly surprised at the mail that starts showing up when the correct address is contained in the data base.

Korea Retirement Services Office

USAG Daegu Retiree Appreciation Day

US Army Garrison Daegu and Area IV will hold its 2nd Annual Retiree Appreciation Day event on 10 November 2007 from 10:00 to 14:00 at Kelly Gym on Camp Walker. There will be many information tables to assist Retirees that day. A FREE BBQ lunch from 11:30 to 13:00 hrs will be provided for all Retirees and their family members who attend.

In addition to the free lunch, there will be many raffles throughout the event ranging from Commissary Shopping Sprees, Many Electronic Items from AAFES, a Free Round Trip Ticket to a Popular Island in Asia as well as approximately 150 MWR coupons and prizes. There will also be a Retiree Night at the Camp Walker Bowling Center and Henry's Place at Camp Henry.

Please contact Steve Davis at: Steve.davis1@korea.army.mil or call 768-6922.

USAG Daegu Retiree Council

Retirement Services Office Relocation

On November 19, the Retirement Services Office is scheduled to relocate from the second floor of Bldg 544 (Soldier Support Center, aka 1Stop) to Bldg 543 and occupy the office currently used by the Ration Control Office. This move will require suspension of service for a couple of days to allow for packing and unpacking the items that must be removed from the office furniture before that can be moved. There could also be a disruption of telephone service, but my cell phone will always be an option if you really need to contact me.

Korea Retirement Services Office

---

In This Issue

• Medical Care Matters

  • TRDP Update

  • VDBC Rolls Out Disability Report

  • Health Tips from the Mayo Clinic

  • TRICARE Payment and Reimbursement Policy

  • MOAA Testifies on Disability Changes

  • Uniform Formulary Changes Announced

  • TRICARE Adds MRI Screens for Breast Cancer

• Pay Matters

  • Retirement Tax Considerations

  • Senate Finally Passes NDAA

  • Medicare Part B Premium Changes

  • COLA Announced

• Survivor Matters

  • SBP – Show Me the Money

• Community Matters

  • Obtaining a Military Retiree ID Card

  • VA Seeking Former Prisoners of War, Family Members

  • Connecticut Veterans Wartime Service Medal

  • America Sends More Than $5 Million to Help Troops Call Home

• Federal Service Matters

  • COLA Differences for CSRS, FERS Retirees

• Laughing Matters

  • Aviation Sayings

  • Dangerous Chemical

  • That Changes Everything

  • Hang Gliding

• RSO's Corner

  • Jack Is Leaving the Retirement Services Office

  • Osan Retiree Access to Medical Care Limited

---

Medical Care Matters

TRDP Update

The Tricare Retiree Dental Program (TRDP) is being opened to military retirees living in all overseas locations. However, retirees outside the current coverage areas – the U.S., its territories and Canada – will have to pay premiums for those services, as all retirees do. Monthly premiums in the U.S. generally run between $30 and $50 for an individual, $60 to $90 for a family of two, and $100 to $155 for a family of three or more, depending on where the retiree is located. Delta Dental organizes the TRDP into five regions, with premiums based on the average cost of living in each region. Information on how TRDP premiums will be set overseas was not available. Federal law has never specifically restricted the geographic scope of the Tricare Retiree Dental Program, run under contract by Delta Dental of California, but until now it has served retirees living only in the U.S., Canada, Guam, Puerto Rico, the U.S. Virgin Islands, American Samoa and the Commonwealth of the Northern Mariana Islands. The Defense Department decided to expand the program to overseas areas based on requests from retirees and their families who live abroad.

The change would make about 100,000 retirees and family members who live abroad eligible for the TRDP, according to a notice published in the 16 APR Federal Register. "Expanding the geographic scope of the program will ensure that all Tricare-eligible retirees are eligible for the same dental benefits, regardless of their location," defense officials said in the Federal Register notice. Officials said expanding the TRDP overseas will not increase the government's costs for the program, because it is maintained entirely by enrollees through premium payments. Enrollees also pay for dental costs in excess of the TRDP coverage limits, and the contractor is solely responsible for program costs in excess of annual premium payments. Tricare spokeswoman Bonnie Powell said details are being worked out about when the expanded service will become available (i.e. possibly by May 08). For more about the Tricare Retiree Dental Program refer to www.trdp.org/. [Source: The Drifter http://www.leatherneck.com/forums/showthread.php?t=46551 article by Kelly Kennedy, MilitaryTimes.com, 21 May 07]

RAO Baguio Bulletin Update, Oct 1

VDBC Rolls Out Disability Report

On Wednesday [Oct 3], the Veterans' Disability Benefits Commission (VDBC) released its final report after completing a comprehensive study of benefits provided veterans and their survivors for disabilities and deaths resulting from military service. The 13-member Commission, which includes NAUS President, retired Army MG Bill Matz, identified 113 recommendations and highlighted 14 that deserve the immediate attention of Congress, the Department of Defense (DoD) and the Department of Veterans Affairs (VA).

Of particular note is the Commission recommendation to immediately increase disability payments by up to 25 percent as part of the overall proposed changes to compensate for a disabled veteran's lost "quality of life."

Other important areas that the Commission addressed complement and bolster a number of National Association for Uniformed Services (NAUS) goals. They include:

The report also asserts that there should be no "new" definition or distinction between combat-connected or service-connected disability. During a press conference to rollout the report, Commission Chairman LTG Terry Scott stated that because our young men and women are signed to serve 24 hours a day 7 days a week they should be covered for any condition or accident, unless it is a result of willful misconduct. NAUS also applauds Commissioner Ken Jordan for saying during the press conference that taking care of wounded, injured and ill veterans is a "cost of national defense."

Though the Commission generally agreed with the report recently presented by the presidential commission, headed by former Sen. Bob Dole and former Health and Human Services Secretary Donna Shalala, two exceptions are noteworthy. First, in contrast to Dole/Shalala, the VDBC recommended that all service-connected disabilities should be compensated based on the severity of the injury and not be limited to combat and combat-related injuries. And second, the VDBC disagreed that VA disability compensation should stop and be replaced with Social Security at retirement age.

NAUS will continue to press Congress and the administration to act on these recommendations and any subsequent legislation introduced. And we encourage you to read the report and urge your elected members of Congress to act on it.

The report and executive summary are available at www.naus.org or at www.vetscommission.org. Also available is a NAUS press release at www.naus.org.

NAUS Weekly Update, Oct 5

When all is said and done, a lot more is said than done. — Unattributed

Health Tips from the Mayo Clinic

The following links are provided to articles carried in the October 9 weekly newsletter provided by the Mayo Clinic. These articles are likely to be of interest to retirees living in Korea.

• Metabolism and weight loss: How you burn calories
  Metabolism plays a role in your weight, but probably not how you think it does. It's all about the calories.
• Amputation and diabetes: How to protect your feet
  Amputation is a frightening concept. If you have diabetes, here's what you need to know about amputation – and how to avoid it.
• Bone density test: Measure your risk of osteoporosis
  Are you at risk of fractures due to weakened bones caused by osteoporosis? A bone density test will tell.
• Core exercises: Beyond your average abs routine
  Core exercises strengthen your abs and other core muscles. The result? Toned abs, and better balance and stability to boot.

Mayo Clinic Housecall, Oct 9

TRICARE Payment and Reimbursement Policy

TOPIC: Paying for host nation health care up front for retirees and their family members who are TRICARE Standard in Korea

Did you know ...

If you have a referral from a Military Treatment Facility (MTF) provider at an MTF served by the Yongsan TRICARE Service Center, the Center can arrange for your care at one of the Memorandum of Understanding (MOU) host nation medical facilities across the peninsula and you will only pay your deductible (if not already met for the year) and your 25 % cost share at the time of your appointment.

The next time you need care at a host nation facility,

Our Mission, Your Health!

Yongsan TRICARE Service Center

(RSO Note: Osan TRICARE beneficiaries will continue to pay the entire cost and then file with TRICARE for reimbursement.)

MOAA Testifies on Disability Changes

On October 17, the Senate Veterans Affairs Committee convened a special hearing to consider inputs from the Military Officers Association of America (MOAA) and a number of other groups on proposals to improve health care, compensation and rehabilitation benefits for disabled members and their families, with particular emphasis on problems encountered by those wounded in Iraq and Afghanistan.

Witnesses included former Sen. Bob Dole and former Clinton cabinet member Donna Shalala, who co-chaired the President's Commission on Wounded Warriors; Independent Review Group Co-chairman (and former Army and VA Secretary) Togo West; Veterans Disability Benefits Commission Chairman LTG James Terry Scott (USA-Ret); and MOAA Government Relations Director Col. Steve Strobridge (USAF-Ret).

In sorting through the various recommendations of the review panels, Daniel Akaka (D-HI) and Ranking Minority Member Richard Burr (R-NC) searched for common themes.

In particular, they asked every group whether there should be a distinction between benefits for combat-wounded members and those disabled by other causes. The consensus was that there should not be. "When you join the military, you're preparing for combat," said Dole. "Once you're a paraplegic, the impact on your life is the same whether your injury was caused by a bullet, a military vehicle accident, or a slip on an icy runway," said Strobridge.

Another point of consensus was that the VA should be the single agency assigning disability percentages. Strobridge said MOAA supports the pilot program concept scheduled for implementation next month by DoD and VA, under which the Defense Department will determine what conditions render a servicemember unfit for continued duty, the VA will assign disability ratings for all service-connected disabilities, and DoD will accept the VA ratings in establishing the military disability retirement percentage.

MOAA has concerns about a new administration proposal that would abolish the military disability retirement system and leave determinations of health care eligibility for most service-disabled members and families to the discretion of the Secretary of Defense. While we strongly support guaranteeing receipt of service-earned retired pay in addition to VA disability compensation (for which we applaud the administration's plan), outright elimination of the military disability retirement system has the potential to reduce compensation for certain severely disabled mid-grade officers by as much as $1,000 a month, and potentially even more for certain Guard and Reserve officers. (Congress is unlikely to consider those proposals before next year.)

Strobridge also emphasized the need to establish a joint DoD/VA seamless transition office, with full-time staff whose specific mission is to oversee implementation and maintenance of initiatives such as a joint electronic medical record and electronic separation document. "This is too important to be someone's part-time job," he said. "We have to build a structure of responsibility that won't disappear when certain key officials or their bosses leave."

Chairman Akaka and Senator Burr expressed their commitment to doing the right thing by wounded warriors and all disabled servicemembers. Akaka noted that many of the needed initiatives would be addressed in the defense bill already passed by the Senate. Burr, in particular, expressed a sense of urgency about completing needed legislative and policy changes. "America is the most powerful nation in the world," he said, "and I don't see why it should take us years to get these important things fixed."

MOAA Update, Oct 19

Uniform Formulary Changes Announced

Early today [Oct 26] Department of Defense (DoD) officials announced the reclassification of nine additional medications as non-formulary. The nasal corticosteroid Veramyst and growth stimulants Genotropin, Genotropin Miniquick, Humatrope, Saizen and Omnitrope will be changed to non-formulary status on December 19, 2007. Allergy medications Clarinex, Clarinex-D and the asthma medication Zyflo will be reclassified as non-formulary medications on January 19, 2008.

Medications not on the Uniform Formulary are not available at military treatment facility (MTF) pharmacies unless medical necessity has been established and an MTF provider writes the prescription. Beneficiaries taking non-formulary medications may want to consult with their health care provider about changing to a less costly alternative. Beneficiaries can also ask providers if establishing medical necessity for the third-tier medication is appropriate. If medical necessity is established for a third-tier medication, the co-payment is reduced to $9. Medical necessity forms and criteria are available at www.tricare.mil/pharmacy/medical-nonformulary.cfm.

For a complete list of medications, their formulary status and where they are available beneficiaries may visit www.tricareformularysearch.org/dod/medicationcenter/default.aspx.

NAUS Weekly Update, Oct 26

TRICARE Adds MRI Screens for Breast Cancer

The TRICARE Management Activity (TMA) has added coverage for Magnetic Resonance Imaging (MRI) screening for women at high risk of developing breast cancer. Doctors can use the American Cancer Society's guidelines to identify high-risk patients. "The availability of MRI screenings does not reduce the importance of regular examinations," said Army Maj. Gen. Elder Granger, TMA deputy director. "All women over 39 years old need to get those annual mammograms. The key to dealing with cancer is early detection." The new coverage is retroactive to March 1, 2007.

Beneficiaries who received this care on or after that date, and were denied reimbursement can resubmit their claim for reimbursement. Breast cancer is the third most common cancer among Tricare beneficiaries and the second most common cause of cancer death for women in the United States.

For more information about breast cancer, visit www.tricare.mil/pressroom/doctor_is_in.aspx?fid=60.

Armed Forces News Issue, Oct 26

---

Pay Matters

Retirement Tax Considerations

Taxes on land and the buildings on it are the biggest source of revenue for local governments. They are not imposed by states but by the tens of thousands of cities, townships, counties, school districts and other assessing jurisdictions. The state's role is to specify the maximum rate on the market value of the property, or a percentage of it, as the legal standard for the local assessors to follow. The local assessor determines the value to be taxed. You can't escape property taxes in any state. But you can find significantly low rates in certain parts of the country. Most states give residents over a certain age a break on their property taxes. With some taxes, you'll need a relatively low income to qualify. Forty states provide either property tax credits or homestead exemptions that limit the value of assessed property subject to tax. There may be other tax breaks available, depending on where you live. All 50 states offer some type of property tax relief program, such as freezes that will lock in the assessed value of your property once you reach a certain age, or deferral of taxes until the homeowner moves or dies. They ultimately have to be paid. In addition, counties and municipalities often have their own property tax relief plans.

Property Tax Circuit Breaker

Retirees with low incomes and high housing costs may face property tax bills that are higher than they can manage. Some states target property tax relief to those homeowners bearing the greatest burden. Property tax reform that takes into account a homeowner's ability to pay, such as a so-called "property tax circuit breaker," can better protect low-income homeowners from rising property taxes that accompany rising property values. Targeted property tax relief avoids sharp reductions in funding for locally provided public services and inequities based solely on date of purchase. A property tax circuit breaker prevents property taxes from "overloading" a taxpayer. Under a typical circuit breaker, the state sets a maximum percentage of income that an eligible family can be expected to pay in property taxes. If property taxes exceed this limit, the state then provides a rebate or credit to the taxpayer. Currently, of the 31 states and the District of Columbia with circuit breakers for homeowners, only six and the District of Columbia permit all households to participate in the program without regard to age.

Other property tax relief strategies that may be used to target property tax relief include homestead exemptions which exempt a certain amount of a home's value from taxation, credits to rebate a certain percentage of taxes paid, and deferral programs to allow low-income elderly homeowners to defer payment of property taxes until property is sold.

Property Tax Swaps

More and more states are cutting property taxes in exchange for increases in sales or other taxes. Idaho, New Jersey, South Carolina and Texas took this step in 2006. In New Jersey the state increased the sales tax by one cent with half of it designated for property tax relief in 2006 and possibly the full amount in future years. Voters in Idaho also approved a one cent sales tax increase that reduces property taxes by $260 million. South Carolina's Republican governor, Mark Sanford, signed a measure that promises to cut average property taxes by 60% and makes up the revenue by increasing the sales tax by one cent. The revenue will be used to support the Homestead Exemption Fund. In Texas the state lowered property taxes by increasing the taxes on cigarettes and some business activity.

Best and Worst States

Based on data from the 2002 census, the following five states have the lowest local property taxes per capita/year. They are Arkansas ($191), Alabama ($285), Kentucky ($376), New Mexico ($380), and Oklahoma ($425). The states with the highest local property taxes per capita/year are: New Jersey ($1,871), Connecticut ($1,733), New York ($1,402), and Rhode Island ($1,369). [Source: www.retirementliving.com/RLtaxes.html Jul 07]

RAO Baguio Bulletin Update, Oct 1

The only difference between death and taxes is that death doesn't get worse every time Congress meets. — Will Rogers

Senate Finally Passes NDAA

Last evening the Senate finally passed their version of the National Defense Authorization Bill (H.R. 1585) by a vote of 92-3. The bill now moves to conference with the House to work out differences. The bill faces a possible veto by President Bush over an expansion of federal hate-crime laws, unrelated to national defense but stuck in regardless, if that provision makes it through the conference.

Among the many amendments added to the bill are several NAUS goals and items of imminent interest to retirees and their families. They include:

• The Lautenberg amendment to prohibit increases in TRICARE fees for FY2008 and to express the sense of the Senate that military service is unique and that military members have earned their benefit by virtue of their service and sacrifices.
• The Nelson amendment to eliminate the SBP/DIC offset and accelerate 30-year paid-up Survivor Benefit Plan (SBP) coverage to Oct. 1, 2007.
• The Reid amendment providing full, immediate concurrent receipt to disabled retirees deemed "unemployable" by the VA retroactive to Jan. 1, 2005.
• An amendment by Sen. Lott concerning the Armed Forces Retirement Home. This amendment would prohibit "privatization" of the Home into a non-government charitable institution.
• The Chambliss amendment to reduce the Reserve retirement age by three months for each 90 days served on active duty since 9/11/01.
• The Lincoln amendment to authorize Guard or reserve members to use their mobilization GI Bill benefits up to 10 years after separating from the Selected Reserve.

One NAUS-supported provision that did not make the final bill as an amendment was the Clinton sponsored Postal Bill to provide vouchers for the families and loved ones of deployed troops in order to send free mail and packages to them. It is, however, in the House passed bill. Contact your elected officials and let them know that you want this small but important "Thank You" for our brave men and women in combat included in the final version of the NDAA.

Additionally the Wounded Warrior Act was reinserted into the NDAA. This legislation addresses the care and treatment of our wounded warriors. It would:

• End the inconsistent ratings awarded for the same disabilities by DoD and the VA.
• Provide for seamless transition from DoD to VA care by requiring the Secretaries of the DoD and VA to develop a comprehensive plan.
• Authorize $50 million for improvements in diagnosis, treatment and rehabilitation of service members who have Traumatic Brain Injury or Post Traumatic Stress Disorder.
• Authorize medically retired (Chapter 61) with 50 percent disabilities and higher to receive active duty medical benefits for three years after leaving active service.
• Authorize VA and military health care providers to provide urgent and emergency medical care and counseling to family members.
• Extend eligibility for VA healthcare for combat veterans from two years to five years after discharge.
• Establish a joint DoD/VA program to develop and implement a joint electronic health record.
• Require Secretary of Defense to establish standards for housing for military outpatients and for military hospitals, clinics and specialty medical care facilities.
• Increase minimum severance pay to one year's basic pay for those separated for disabilities incurred in a combat zone or combat related operations, and six months basic pay for all others.
• Eliminate that severance pay be deducted from disability compensation for disabilities incurred in a combat zone or combat-related operations.

NAUS hopes that the conference goes well and quickly and that there will be no further delays caused by non-germane debate on issues unrelated to National Defense.

NAUS Special Update, Oct 2

Medicare Part B Premium Changes

The chart below shows how much people in various income brackets will be paying for Medicare Part B in 2008 versus what they're paying this year. Those filing jointly will need to double the income amount as well as the premium amount.

It also makes a "guesstimate" about how those premiums are likely to grow further in 2009, based on what we know now. There are two factors to consider in the 2009 "guesstimate":

1. 2009 will be the first year (after a three-year phase-in) that the new income-based standards (which charge higher premiums for higher-income people) are fully implemented.
2. 2008 premium levels were computed based on the Medicare expense formula in current law, which assumes Medicare payments to doctors will be cut by 9.9% in 2008. If that doesn't happen (and we think Congress probably won't let it), then premiums will have to be raised further in 2009 to cover higher-than-expected Medicare payments. We've assumed an extra 10% increase to cover that.

Medicare Means Testing Chart 2008
Income		Monthly Premium in
Individuals (2008)	Beneficiary share of total Part B cost	2007 (30%)*	2008 (67%)*	2009 (100%)*(est)
Under $82K	25%	$93.50	$96.40	$106**
$82K-$102K	35%	$104.72	$122.20	$148
$102K-$153K	50%	$121.55	$160.90	$212
$153K-$205K	65%	$138.38	$199.70	$275
Above $205K	80%	$155.21	$238.40	$339
* Premium increases were to be phased in with 30% of the increase coming in 2007, 67% coming in 2008, and the full increase in 2009. ** Assumed a 10% increase for 2009 premiums due to a reversal of planned 9.9% 2008 Physician Reimbursement cut.

MOAA News Exchange, Oct 10

COLA Announced

The annual Cost of Living Allowance (COLA) increase was announced on October 17. Social Security, military retired pay, VA disability and Dependency and Indemnity Compensation (DIC) will increase by 2.3 percent. The increase goes into effect on December 1 and will be reflected in January 2008 paychecks.

NAUS Weekly Update, Oct 18

---

Survivor Matters

SBP – Show Me the Money

A question we frequently hear from older members is, "I've been paying into SBP for decades. The government has made a lot of money on me. Why can't I get some of that money back after all these years?"

On the flip side, those nearing military retirement want to know "Is SBP really worth it? It seems awfully expensive – how much 'bang for my buck' am I going to get?"

Anyone who thinks the government is making money on SBP is way off-base. As shown in this chart, the government currently pays out more than twice as much in SBP benefits to survivors than it collects in retiree premiums. And that difference will continue to grow, since we recently won a benefit increase for survivors age 62 and older.

For members retiring after 20 or more years of active duty, the government expects that the average retiree's lifetime SBP premiums will only cover about 60% of the average benefits that will be paid to the retiree's survivor.

That means three things:

Christian Voices, Oct 4

Dangerous Chemical

A freshman at Eagle Rock Junior High won first prize at the Greater Idaho Falls Science Fair. He was attempting to show how conditioned we have become to the alarmists practicing junk science and spreading fear of everything in our environment.

In his project he urged people to sign a petition demanding strict control or total elimination of the chemical "dihydrogen monoxide." And for plenty of good reasons, since:

He asked 50 people if they supported a ban of the chemical.

Forty-three said yes. Six were undecided. Only one knew that the chemical was water (H₂O).

The title of his prize winning project was: "How Gullible Are We?"

He feels the conclusion is obvious.

Christian Voices, Oct 7

The brain is a wonderful organ. It starts working the moment you get up in the morning and does not stop until you get into the office. — Robert Frost

That Changes Everything

Aunt Mary, a spinster of 92, had finally consented to go to a rest home, but strictly on a two-week trial basis. Consequently, she took a small overnight case with only the bare essentials.

A couple of days later her niece was surprised to get a phone call from her demanding more clothes.

"Please bring me that good black silk, my lavender print, the brown wool..." and she went on and on. Finally after a brief questioning from her niece, Aunt Mary explained:

"There are MEN in this place!"

Christian Voices, Oct 18

Hang Gliding

In West Virginia, you don't see too many people hang-gliding. Nevertheless, Bubba decided to save up and get himself a hang-glider. He takes it to the highest mountain, and after struggling to the top, he gets ready to take flight. He takes off running and reaches the edge – into the wind he goes!

Meanwhile, Maw and Paw Hicks were sittin' on the porch swing talkin' 'bout the good ole days when Maw spots the biggest bird she ever saw!

"Look at the size of that bird, Paw!" she exclaims.

Paw raises up," Git my gun, Maw."

She runs into the house and brings out his pump shotgun. He takes careful aim. BANG...BANG.....BANG.....BANG! The monster sized bird continues to sail silently over the tree tops.

"I think ya missed him, Paw," she says.

"Yeah," he replies, "but at least he let go of Bubba!"

from the Internet

---

Director's Corner

Jack Is Leaving the Retirement Services Office

You may have read at the rao-osan.com web site (Feedback) that I've decided to leave the Retirement Services Office at the end of December and return to volunteer service for the retirees and widows in Korea. Several factors led to this decision, the biggest being the task of planning the Yongsan Retiree Appreciation Day. Doing that effectively removed me for two months from supporting you in the manner to which both of us had become accustomed.

To get back to basics, I need to focus on responding to your requests and supporting you the best way I know how.This means devoting my full time to solving those problems that you can't solve by yourself. Although I expect the change to be mostly positive, there are a couple of negatives. First, I will not be operating from a military installation. In the Sinjang area of Pyeongtaek City outside the Osan AB main gate, my wife and I have an office that we recently expanded and renovated. We'll be there 0900-1500, Mon-Fri, starting in Jan 2008. This means you'll have to call a commercial number, 031-663-0319 (from outside Korea: 82-31-663-0319), or my cell phone, 017-477-1441, to contact me. Second, I won't be traveling to meet you at an installation near where you live. It's possible that the new Retirement Services Officer will continue the travel schedule that I established. But that will be his or her decision.

I intend to continue maintaining the rao-osan.com web site and to publish the monthly e-mail newsletter, Still Serving in Korea. By stepping back from the RSO, I'll be able to focus on solving the difficult problems that require a lot of time which I currently don't have. The new RSO person will pick up the more routine duties and possibly expand into areas that I hadn't considered. Again, that will be his or her decision.

Jack Terwiel

Osan Retiree Access to Medical Care Limited

Due to the increased number of active duty personnel and their family members using the Osan Hospital, medical care will be provided to retirees, their families and survivors using a more stringent standard. Now, a retiree seeking an appointment must call the appointment line. If an appointment cannot be provided within 48 hours, the retiree will have to repeat the process later in the day to see if a cancellation has occurred, or on a later day, and continue as long as necessary. The retiree community is, however, no longer served by just the Internal Medicine doctor. The new system means that appointments can be made with any health care provider. If an appointment cannot be obtained for care at the Osan Hospital, the alternative is to set up a referral appointment at the TRICARE desk for care at a Korean medical facility then file a claim with TRICARE for reimbursement.

With limited access to the Osan Hospital, more retirees may find themselves using Korean hospitals for their primary care. Retirees who do not currently have SOFA status might want to consider signing up for the Korean Health Insurance. One drawback is that if you've been without SOFA status and living as a Resident Alien (visa category F-1, F-2, or F-3) in country for a number of years, it could be expensive to sign up. You must pay the premiums back to when you gained Resident Alien status. On the other hand, if you still have the Tourist (C-3) visa or recently converted to Resident Alien, you only pay premiums from the time you became or will become eligible for the insurance, i.e., after you became a Resident Alien. (Once you have the Korean insurance, you can return to SOFA status and keep the Korean insurance.)

For retirees with the Korean Health Insurance, I will recount my first experience at Aju University Hospital. I went to the hospital as a walk-in patient and asked for an examination for a problem I was experiencing. Only after I had been treated and went to pay the bill did I learn that the Korean insurance does not cover walk-in patients. It will only reimburse for care at a major hospital such as Aju if the patient is referred by either a U.S. military hospital or a Korean clinic or hospital, and then for all follow-up appointments. My solution was to visit the small clinic around the corner from my home and the doctor provided the referral on my wife's request and with no exam. The Korean insurance covered 60% of most costs for the second and all subsequent visits to Aju and I filed with TRICARE to be reimbursed for 75% of the remainder of allowable costs.

This situation makes it even more important for retirees approaching age 65 to enroll in Medicare Part B. This is the only way you'll be able to be reimbursed for care received at a civilian medical facility.

On the same subject and tying into the previous article, I expect to resume attendance at the Osan Hospital's Health Care Advisory Council as the retiree representative once I'm back to volunteer status. If I can't convince them to provide greater access to the retiree community, at least I'll be able to give you feedback from meetings with the unvarnished word on what's happening and what to expect.

Jack Terwiel

"If the only prayer you said in your whole life was, 'thank you,' that would suffice." — Meister Eckhart

---

---