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Congress questions DOD moving funds out of healthcare
A group of two dozen lawmakers is asking why the Pentagon wants to move more than $700 million out of its healthcare accounts to fund other items when it’s also proposing Tricare fee increases.
The lawmakers, led by Rep. Joe Wilson (R-S.C.), sent a letter to Defense Secretary Leon Panetta this week asking for an explanation of the $708 million shift from the Defense Health Program to fund other “higher priorities” in the department's $8 billion reprogramming request, submitted to Congress last month.
The reprogramming request came amid a fight between the Pentagon and Congress over raising fees for Tricare and Tricare for Life. Congress in its authorization and appropriations bills this year has rejected the fee increases.
The House members said that the reprogramming request, in which the Pentagon asks Congress to OK shifting already budgeted funds to different accounts, calls into question the need to raise Tricare fees.
The lawmakers said they would attempt to block the reprogramming request until they are given an explanation of where exactly the funds would be moved, and have asked for a Pentagon briefing.
Congress must approve the reprogramming request before it can go through.
