Drill Weekend Talking Points: October 2016

by | Sep 30, 2016 | Uncategorized

EANGUS Drill Weekend Talking Points: October 2016

Continuing Resolution
In typical fashion, members punted until the final hours and created some unnecessary drama. However, the Continuing Resolution (CR) passed the House and Senate and the Federal Government will be funded through the November elections. At which time, Congress will return to Washington to pass another CR to fund the government. EANGUS staff speculate that the second CR or series of omnibus bills will likely fund the Federal Government until Tax Day on April 15. The new President will deliver the Fiscal Year 2018 Budget Request to Capitol Hill around on or about April 15.

Since returning from August Recess, there were several issues delaying a final agreement on the CR:

  • Funding Planned Parenthood clinics in Puerto Rico as part the fight against Zika

  • Temporarily exempting pesticide spraying needed to control mosquitoes from Clean Water Act permits

  • Emergency aid funds for Louisiana flood victims and for repairs to the contaminated water system in Flint, Michigan

  • Restoring full power to the Export-Import Bank

Details about the current CR:

  • It is slated to last ten weeks (i.e. December 9, 2016)

  • No new program starts permitted

  • No servicemember pay increases will go into effect

  • SECDEF Carter expressed concern to Senate Armed Services Committee stating that it is about where the dollars are located, “for example, the CR that goes past December would undermine our plan to quadruple our European Reassurance Initiative.”

  • $1.067 trillion spending legislation would provide full fiscal year funding for the Military Construction and Veterans Administration programs

TRICARE Pharmacy Network Change Announcement

Express Scripts (i.e. TRICARE pharmacy contractor) notified CVS that its pharmacies will no longer be part of the TRICARE retail pharmacy network as of December 1, 2016. This includes CVS pharmacies in Target stores. On the same date, Walgreens pharmacies will join the network.

Click here to read the September 30th announcement

Click here to read the DOD white paper

We encourage you to review the Express Scripts TRICARE webpage for updated information