HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES

H.R. NO.

171

TWENTY-FOURTH LEGISLATURE, 2007

 

STATE OF HAWAII

 

 

 

 

 

HOUSE RESOLUTION

 

 

REQUESTING THE UNITED STATES DEPARTMENT OF DEFENSE TO allow MEMBERS OF THE NATIONAL GUARD AND RESERVES WHO ARE STILL RECOVERING FROM ILLNESSES OR INJURIES INCURRED IN THE LINE OF DUTY WHILE MOBILIZED FOR DEPLOYMENT TO IRAQ OR AFGHANISTAN, AND WHO HAVE EITHER BEEN DISCHARGED FOR MEDICAL REASONS OR RELEASED FROM ACTIVE DUTY TO THEIR RESERVE COMPONENT UNITS, to continue to have access to department of defense medical facilities on the same basis as active duty service mEmbers, or to receive tricare coverage on the same basis as retirees.

 

 

 


WHEREAS, thousands of members of the National Guard and Reserves across the nation have been mobilized onto federal active duty for service in and deployed to Iraq, Afghanistan, or both; and

 

WHEREAS, many reserve component military service members have sustained injuries or illnesses in the line of duty that have caused them to be placed in military retention processing units (MRPUs) on "medical hold" status in various military facilities around the county; and

 

WHEREAS, the Legislature understands that several dozen reserve component military service members are now on medical hold status in Hawaii; and

 

WHEREAS, the Legislature understands that it is a fairly common practice to give these individuals one year after their return from deployment in which to heal, at which point they are reevaluated and frequently either given a medical discharge or released from active duty to their National Guard or Reserve units; and

 

WHEREAS, while the one year time limit may serve as a simple and clear standard for purposes of the United States Department of Defense military policy, the reality for many of these individuals is that one year is simply an inadequate amount of time to heal from serious physical or mental illnesses or injuries sustained in the line of duty; and

 

WHEREAS, the United States Department of Defense is understandably cognizant of and concerned about the costs of keeping reserve component military service members on active duty for lengthy periods of time while they recover from illnesses or injuries; and

 

WHEREAS, the injured reserve component military service members in Hawaii are very concerned that their discharge from the military or being released from active duty to their reserve component units will terminate their eligibility for medical care at the United States Department of Defense medical facilities at which they have been treated; and

 

WHEREAS, with the termination of this eligibility, these reserve component military service members will have to rely upon either their private or employer sponsored health insurance, or facilities operated by the Veterans' Administration of the United States Department of Veterans' Affairs; and

 

WHEREAS, the extensive media coverage of overcrowded and understaffed Veterans' Administration facilities and programs in recent years leaves many injured reserve component military service members very concerned about the care they will receive; and

 

WHEREAS, many ill and injured reserve component military service members would, if given a choice, prefer to continue to receive treatment at the United States Department of Defense medical facilities after they have been discharged or released from active duty to their reserve component units; and

 

WHEREAS, this could be accomplished by allowing this relatively small group of reserve component military service members to either:

 

     (1)  Continue to be treated at the United States Department of Defense medical facilities on the same basis as active duty service members after they have been discharged or released from active duty to their reserve component units; or

 

     (2)  Provide them with coverage under the military's Tricare program on the same basis as military retirees; and

 

until such time as they have recovered completely from illnesses or injuries incurred in the line of duty after mobilization for deployment to either Iraq or Afghanistan; and

 

     WHEREAS, either alternative, while not without cost, would be only a fraction of the cost of some proposals now in Congress, such as to provide Tricare coverage to all reserve component military service members; now, therefore,

 

     BE IT RESOLVED by the House of Representatives of the Twenty-fourth Legislature of the State of Hawaii, Regular Session of 2007, that the United States Department of Defense is requested to allow reserve component military service members who have sustained illnesses or injuries in the line of duty after mobilization for deployment in support of Operation Iraqi Freedom or Operation Enduring Freedom to either:

 

     (1)  Continue to be treated at the United States Department of Defense medical facilities on the same basis as active duty service members after they have been discharged or released from active duty to their reserve component units; or

 

     (2)  Provide them with coverage under the military's Tricare program on the same basis as military retirees; and

 

until such time as they have recovered completely from illnesses or injuries incurred in the line of duty after mobilization for deployment to either Iraq or Afghanistan; and

 

     BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED that Hawaii's congressional delegation is requested to take any and all appropriate actions to enact legislation or to work with the United States Department of Defense to implement these policy changes administratively; and

 

     BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED that certified copies of this Resolution be transmitted to the President of the United States, the United States Secretary of Defense, the members of Hawaii's congressional delegation, the Governor, and the Adjutant General.

 

 

 

 

OFFERED BY:

_____________________________

 

 

Report Title: 

US Defense; Tricare Health Insurance Coverage