TRICARE: Contractors Say DOD Owes $1B in Unpaid Claims
Five private health care contractors who work with the military's Tricare program are alleging that the government owes them millions in unpaid bills, the Cox News Service reports. In an article posted on its Internet site, a military advocacy group called the National Association for the Uniformed Services (NAUS) estimated that the five primary Tricare contractors have amassed between $500 million and $1 billion in unpaid bills for services provided to military retirees, active-duty personnel and military dependents. A NAUS representative blamed budget cuts, which have forced many military facilities to shift beneficiary care to the Tricare contractors. A Defense Department spokesperson declined to comment on the allegations; however, Cox reports that two contractors are negotiating resolutions with the government (Nesmith, Cox/Dayton Daily News, 1/11).
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