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February 2001, issue 91a         

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The Expat Bookstore

To help you find books, software, magazines, audio books, music, videos, gift certificates, calendars, and electronic books., you need, so you don't have to spend hours searching. Just go to: www.amazon.com/exec/obidos/redirect-home/expatlistmailing Back to ACA headlines

Our opinions could be worth $1,000

If you are a professional working outside your home country for a for- profit organization, your opinions about your expatriate experience could be worth $1,000. Just complete the survey at surveyhost.com/expat and you will be entered in a drawing of all eligible survey participants. One lucky participant will receive $1,000 US. All survey responses will remain confidential. The survey is sponsored by the National Foreign Trade Council, WorldatWork, and CIGNA International as part of an ongoing effort to stay at the forefront of emerging trends in workforce globalization. Back to ACA headlines

Getting passport information

If anyone is interested in getting copies of their passport records, just go to the web page: http://travel.state.gov/passport_records.html Back to ACA headlines

Tricare medical care coming to all military retirees

Tricare medical treatment will be available to all military retirees effective 1 October 2001. Following are excerpts of an article published by the Stars and Stripes newspaper on 18 November 2000 by Mr. Chuck Vince, Washington Bureau Chief: Many overseas retirees age 65 and older may face a stiff price to enroll in Tricare, the military's managed health care system, when that program becomes available to them for the first time next October. Overseas retirees will have to buy their way into Medicare Part B during the next open enrollment season early next year if they want to be eligible to get Tricare as their primary health insurance payer later in the year, said Marianne Coates, a spokeswoman for Dr. Jarrett Clinton, the Pentagon's health affairs chief. The Medicare program has two main elements: Part A covers in-patient and hospitalization costs, while the voluntary Part B cover outpatient costs, such as visits to doctor's offices. None of the approximately 25,000 Medicare-eligible retirees living abroad has ever been able to use Medicare overseas because the program doesn't extend outside the United States. When retirees abroad hit age 65, they are forced out of the military health care system and must get their own private insurance, although some maintain Medicare eligibility in case they want to return Stateside for specific healthy care needs. The same legislation provisions will allow older retirees living abroad to use Tricare as their primary health insurer for the first time. But there's one huge caveat --- to use Tricare, either as a second payer in the States or a primary payer overseas, over-65 retirees must be enrolled in Medicare Part B, Coates said. Overseas retirees will have to buy the Part B coverage even though they will never be able to use any Medicare benefits while abroad. On top of that, anyone who passed up Medicare Part B upon reaching age 65 must pay a penalty amounting to higher premiums if they want to get into it later. In most cases, using Tricare as a primary health insurer also will not translate into greater access to the vastly reduced number of military treatment facilities overseas, where this is little extra patient capacity. The outlook for elderly overseas retirees is slightly better in terms of the other main health care provision in the new law, a worldwide pharmacy benefit. The Pentagon will "grandfather" retirees reaching age 65 before April, when the benefit takes effect, and will not require them to have Medicare Part B coverage. But all retirees reaching age 65 after April 1 will have to have current Medicare Part B coverage to use the pharmacy benefits, Coates said. Anyone interested in obtaining more information on the Tricare program for overseas retirees can contact Mr. Chuck Vince at email address; VinchC@Stripes.osd.mil or via their website For information concerning enrollment in Medicare Part B go to: www.medicare.gov Back to ACA headlines

Military retiree class action lawsuit

Several military retirees who joined the armed services prior to 7 June 1956 have entered into a Class Action Lawsuit, Case No. 3: 96 CV 349/RV, which was filed against the SECDEF for breach of contract on retiree health care and violation of 5th Amendment rights. The law suit asserts that medical care for them and their families for life was promised to them if they retired with at least 20 or more years of continuous active duty which began prior to 7 June 1956. In 1956 Congress quietly slipped in a modified clause to PL 569, that effectively changed that right for lifetime medical care to a privilege. Health care schemes such as Champus, Tricare, Medicare and Medicare subvention, which extract money from retirees violates 5th Amendment rights. The contract for those serving 20 or more continuous years of service was for full cost- free health care for life. With the draw down of military forces and base closures, many retirees have found it increasingly difficult to get medical treatment at a military medical facility. Dental and optometry services are practically non existent at some locations. Although recently a positive step was taken with the passing of the Tricare for Life legislation, (see above article), nonetheless it still falls short of the promise that was made to those military retirees who entered the service prior to 7 June 1956. Federal attorneys continue to claim that the health care promise is unenforceable because "agents" like Secretary of the Navy James Forrestal lacked authority to make promises. Presidential political appointees abetted by Congress got us into this mess and neither branch has shown the slightest willingness to honor the contract. Congress condoned DOD promises for over thirty years. The Class Action lawsuit is to have the courts re-educate the other two branches of government on full-truth and honoring one's word. Hence the formation of the Class Action Group (CAG). The CAG is a band of retirees who are volunteering their time to publicize this effort and process the date and contributions for a court battle. The attorney for CAG is retired Air Force Colonel George E. "Bud" Day. He holds the Medal of Honor and is the most decorated officer since MacArthur. He started his illustrious career as a WWII Marine Infantryman. He's been a lawyer over 45 years, was a fighter pilot in both Korea and Vietnam, and spent 5-1/2 years in the Hanoi jail. Senator John McCain's recent book titled, "Faith of my Fathers" mentions Colonel Day and their relationship to one another while both were in the Hanoi prison. Military retirees who entered military service prior to 7 June 1956 and who are interested in obtaining more information regarding this lawsuit and the historical facts relating to "the promise" should visit website: www.classact-lawsuit.com or get in touch with John H. Schlegel, Office Manager, CAG. His email address is: lawsuit@emeraldcost.com Back to ACA headlines

A farewell message

Dear American Citizens Abroad, Country Contacts, News Update editors and all ACA Members, First and foremost, warmest wishes to you each and all for 2001. May it bring you and your loved ones good health and many friends. With the turn of the New Year/century/millenium, ACA is also turning over a new leaf. After almost seven years as Executive Director, I am stepping down from overall responsibility for the organization. I will remain an ACA Director, but with limited areas of active involvement. Realignment of ACA posts in Geneva will be discussed at a meeting of the Executive Committee to be held in January. You will, of course, be kept updated. Implications for you are actually very few. Please send correspondence to the ACA email address (acage@aca.ch), fax (+41 22 3400448) or street address (5 bis rue Liotard, CH-1202 Geneva, Switzerland). Meegan Murray and Elizabeth Heath in the office are not only efficient, but involved and caring. They will forward questions they cannot answer on to appropriate Directors for response. I still remain available to any of you at this email address (vanschoo@iprolink.fr). Looking back over my years of involvement with ACA to date, I believe establishing the system of Country Contacts is one of the best moves the organization has ever made. I can personally testify that your input is always given serious consideration in Geneva, and much of ACA present policy bears its imprint. Another "best move ever" was definitely going active online early, and particularly the creation of the News Update. In addition to spreading news/views of interest to overseas Americans on all continents, the NU is playing a significant role in convincing media representatives that a "market" of overseas Americans exists (and that ACA is a way to reach this market). Finally, I cannot underscore sufficiently the tremendous influence various of you have had on me personally. I leave this post much the richer for knowing each of you, with your vast range of experiences and outlooks. (One of the projects which I hope to work on in the coming year is the long-ignored biographical sketches of ACA Directors. I believe you, as well as web site readers in general, will be highly impressed by the caliber and variety of individuals attracted into collaboration with ACA.) Thank you for sharing your collective wisdom these last years, and rest assured ACA will continue to rely heavily on your input. With warmest personal regards, Dorothy Back to ACA headlines

Fundraiser reminder

Don't forget ACA's annual fundraiser and auction in Geneva on 23 March 2001 at the Hôtel le Richemond. See you there! Back to ACA headlines

This issue of the News Update was prepared by Norm Burgo, ACA Country Contact in Germany.
The ACA News Update editing and publishing team:
Editor-in-Chief: Gloria Otto, ACA Country Contact in Germany
Senior and Web Editor: Karl Jauch, ACA Associate Executive Director, Geneva
Contributing Editors: Elizabeth Davis, Spain; Amy Bryant, Germany; Norm Burgo, ACA Country Contact in Germany; Michele Harte Courgey, Switzerland; Mike Dulin, Finland and Guatemala; and Janet Rubenstein, Turkey.

Disclaimer: While ACA makes every effort to be accurate in the information it transmits, such information is not to be considered a substitute for specific and qualified professional advice.

If you would like to become part of the dynamic volunteer team which powers ACA then join us. There is a constant need for additional physical and/or electronic "staff." In addition to regular VOLUNTEERS, ACA is interested in INTERNS and in tailoring CLASS PROJECTS aimed at awakening students to issues affecting American citizens abroad. Contact ACA's Geneva office

The News Update can be maintained in the long-term only if it justifies itself in terms of membership and donation revenue for the organization.

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World headquarters: American Citizens Abroad ACA 5 bis rue Liotard CH-1202 Geneva Switzerland Phone: (+41 22) 3400233 Fax: (+41 22) 3400448 email: acage@aca.ch

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