Boxer-Bond Measure Makes Health Care More Affordable for Military Families

Washington, DC – The U.S. Senate passed an amendment by U.S. Senators Barbara Boxer (D-CA) and Kit Bond (R-MO) that would allow more military families to recoup the cost of traveling for needed medical treatment when that treatment is not available on base or in neighboring communities.

Under current law, the spouses and children of service members requiring specialty care must travel more than 100 miles each way to be reimbursed. The Boxer-Bond amendment reduces the requirement to 50 miles.

Senator Boxer said, “Our military men and women put their lives on the line for our country. They should not have to worry about the high costs of bringing their loved ones to the doctor for treatment.”

Senator Bond said, “The last thing our troops need to worry about is costly travel when a family member needs critical care. This provision is an important step in providing our military families the support owed by a grateful nation.”

The change would particularly benefit families stationed at rural bases across the country, such as Edwards Air Force base in California. For most specialty care, including specialty pediatric care, families stationed at Edwards must travel to the UCLA Medical Center, which is 96.5 miles away. Because this distance is less than 100 miles, these families currently have to bear the entire burden of the travel cost.

This problem is repeated in states like Missouri. For instance, families stationed at Fort Leonard Wood travel 68 miles to Springfield in order to receive specialty care, making them ineligible for reimbursement. Additionally, military families traveling from Whiteman Air Force Base must travel 79 miles to Kansas City, MO for specialty care, making them ineligible for reimbursement as well.

This measure has the support of the Military Coalition, a group of 34 organizations representing more than 5.5 million members of the uniformed services including active, reserve, retired, survivors, veterans and their families.