Tom's Journal

My father was career Air Force; my ex put in a full Army career (AGR, active guard & reserves). I've dealt with military medical facilies, the CHAMPUS program, etc all my life. The military medical system is just like civilian HMOs-- some good people, some bad ones, some trying to give the patient an aspirin, an antibiotic, or a tranquilizer and get them out of there, some willing to run the tests, make the referrals, do it right. During the three years my father was stationed at Hahn AFB in Germany, the clinic was so bad on base that after a few months run-arounds my parents finally made the decision that all of us-- including my active-duty officer father-- would see the local German doctor and pay him cash, with no reimbursement. (Herr Doktor Doktor Doerr identified my mother's long-term medical issues, referred her to a specialist, and followed up her treatment-- including by correspondence after we returned to the States, and shipping her medication not available in the US). I've had very good experiences with military medical, however, at Kelly AFB, Langley, and Sand Point Naval Station. Ft. Bragg was another story entirely. Those military personnel who are on retirement pay or disability pension can use the closest VA hospital, or designated civilian facilities at government expense if there is no VA hospital in the area. Some civilian facilities, however, don't like dealing with the military medical insurance process. They finally did get a law through Congress that if a doctor or medical facility accepts Medicare or Medicaid, they must also accept CHAMPUS/TRICARE coverage.