Clinton backs prescription benefit for more DoD retirees

At a White House event Tuesday, President Clinton announced his support for extending prescription drug coverage to military retirees over the age of 65.

Currently, retirees under 65 receive the benefit. Clinton used the Rose Garden announcement to point out that the new benefit would enhance recruitment efforts-and also to push for adding prescription coverage to Medicare.

The House is scheduled to vote on the matter this week, according to the White House, because an amendment extending the benefit to military retirees over 65 was added by the House Armed Services Committee to the fiscal 2001 Defense Department authorization bill.

A similar provision is in the Senate version of the authorization bill.

Medicare-eligible military retirees would be able to purchase drugs by mail-order and would pay the same $8 co-payment for a 90-day prescription that other military retirees pay. In addition, the Medicare-eligible retirees would be able to get prescription drugs through the TRICARE network.