Fighting Together
MOAA marches side by side with the AMA, Col. Bud Day - and you.
By Vice Adm. Norbert R. Ryan Jr., USN-Ret.

As in any top-notch organization, people who serve here at MOAA really care about the association's mission and members. Some days, therefore, are better than others at our headquarters. Many of MOAA's efforts - such as TRICARE For Life and the TRICARE Senior Pharmacy - take years of patience, tenacity, and dedicated effort to achieve.

But sometimes staff members can see a problem developing and get ahead of it. Low payments are causing a growing number of Medicare providers to withdraw from Medicare and TRICARE or decline to take new patients. MOAA worked hard with the American Medical Association (AMA) to convince legislators to reverse Medicare payment cuts. We won a significant victory when Congress canceled the scheduled rate cuts and substituted a modest increase.

I subsequently received this note from the chief executive officer of the AMA: "I want to commend the Military Officers Association of America for recognizing the need for Congress to fix the Medicare payment issue. With congressional passage of the omnibus appropriations package, the resulting legislation has provided the administration with the authority to stop the hemorrhaging that was resulting in lower and lower payments to physicians treating Medicare and AMA patients. It has been our pleasure to work cooperatively with MOAA in convincing the Congress of the absolute need for this legislation. Together we made quite a team." I think so, too.

To read about MOAA's progress on the Survivor Benefit Plan, military tax issues, and other items on MOAA's agenda, see "Washington Scene," page 17.

On Feb. 12, I was privileged to march past the Capitol and the Supreme Court with Col. Bud Day, usaf-Ret., and many hundreds of veterans. We marched to highlight the submission of Colonel Day's petition for a hearing to the Supreme Court and to remind the federal government that we expect it to keep its promises to men and women in the military.

Colonel Day's case was docketed by the Supreme Court on Feb. 24, and MOAA has filed a friend-of-the-court brief in support of this effort. I talked to many older veterans who had made tremendous sacrifices to march that day. All stated they felt it was their duty to stand up for those who couldn't be there, and equally as important, to ensure that promises made to those currently serving will not be broken. The determination of these gallant veterans reminded me that real leadership starts with the heart.

I hope each of you has found time to let the troops know you support them through personal dialogue, e-mail, and letters. If not, visit Defend America (accessible via MOAA's links page, www.moaa.org/magazine/links.asp) and do so today.

Proud to be serving you,