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health care costs booming Rare fee hike could hit retirees, families By Gregg Zoroya USA TODAY

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Brother safe: Christy Murray, right, in Kenner, La.

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mSports: Flyers move to second round By Jason DeCrow, AP Philadelphia finishes off playoff series against the Prime spot: Commissioner Roger Goodell and No. 1 selection Sam Bradford pause during Thursday’s Devils with 3-0 victory in Game 5. NHL, 1, 10C. first round, which featured a flurry of trades. Go to usatoday.com for the latest moves by your NFL team.

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They’re weighed down by debt, lack of savings By Christine Dugas USA TODAY

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‘Generation Y’ faces some steep financial hurdles

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They’re called “Generation Y” — teens and twentysomethings known stereotypically for their coddled upbringing, confidence, opinionated dialogue, free-spending habits and openness to change. Ultimately, however, the more than 50 million members may be best remembered for whether they can overcome the dire financial straits that plague many of them. Even before the recession, those in Generation Y — the latest products of a get-it-now, payfor-it-later mind-set that has permeated the nation’s economy — faced a range of financial pitfalls as they embraced expensive high-tech gadgets and added credit card debt onto student loans. Now, stagnant wages, job insecurity, the decline in employer-sponsored health insurance and retirement benefits, the rapid increase in basic expenses, soaring debt and minimal savings have jeopardized the economic security of the entire generation, according to a recent report by Demos, a public policy research and advocacy think tank. Their generation is the first in a century that is unlikely to end up better off financially than

Cover story

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A daily reminder: Frank and Erin Lennon keep track of debt on their “Bill Board.” their parents, the Demos report said. “The recession has hit them hard,” says Jose Garcia, associate director of policy and research at Demos, based in New York. “It affects their income potential, their saving potential and their career-ladder potential.” Kristen Ammerman, 21, a senior at Michigan State University, faces such challenges and sees her Gen Y classmates struggling with financial Please see COVER STORY next page u

WASHINGTON — Military health care spending is rising twice as fast as the nation’s overall health care costs, consuming a larger chunk of the defense budget as the Pentagon struggles to pay for two wars, military budget figures show. The surging costs are prompting the Pentagon and Congress to consider the first hike in out-ofpocket fees for military retirees and some activeduty families in 15 years, said Rear Adm. Christine Hunter, deputy director of TRICARE, the military health care program. Pentagon spending on health care has increased from $19 billion in 2001 to a projected $50.7 billion in 2011, a 167% increase. The rapid rise has been driven by a surge in mental health and physical problems for troops who have deployed to war multiple times and by a flood of career military retirees fleeing less-generous civilian health programs, Hunter said. Total U.S. spending on health care has climbed from nearly $1.5 trillion in 2001 to an estimated $2.7 trillion next year, an 84% increase. As a share of overall defense spending, health Rapid rise care costs have risen from 6% to 9% and will keep Military medical costs are rising growing, said Navy Lt. twice as fast as those Cmdr. Kathleen Kesler, a nationally. Increase Pentagon spokeswoman. from 2001 to 20111: That upward trend is 167% “beginning to eat us alive,” Defense Secretary Robert Gates told Congress in February. 84% In addition to mental issues, multiple combat tours have created more strains on joints, backs and legs, Pentagon statisMilitary National tics show. Medical visits for such problems rose 1 – estimates Sources: Defense from 2.8 million in 2005 Department, Health and to 3.7 million in 2009. Human Services Department Behavioral-health By Julie Snider, USA TODAY counseling sessions for troops and family members rose 65% since 2004. The Pentagon paid for 7.3 million visits last year — treatment of 140,000 patients each week, TRICARE numbers show. Other factors driving up costs: uMany new patients are children suffering anxiety or depression because of a parent away at war. Children had 42% more counseling sessions last year than in 2005, TRICARE numbers show. uThe number of TRICARE beneficiaries has grown by 370,000 in the past two years to 9.6 million troops, family members and military retirees. uNearly 200,000 prescriptions were filled each day at civilian pharmacies last year. Active-duty troops and their families receive free health care except for out-of-pocket co-payments of $3 or $9 per prescription at civilian pharmacies. Retirees receive the same benefits by paying $230 a person or $460 a family each year, along with small co-payments for various types of care. The fees have not gone up since 1995. By contrast, private insurance plans try to limit expenses with frequent increases in premiums and copayments “I want to be generous and fair to all those who serve, but there’s a cost-containment problem,” Sen. Lindsey Graham, R-S.C., said at a recent hearing. “I don’t see how we can sustain this forever, where TRICARE is never subject to adjustment in terms of the premiums to be paid.” Hunter said higher out-of-pocket expenses are being explored by the Pentagon, too. “The difference this year is that we see members of Congress saying we need to have a thoughtful discussion,” Hunter said. “Where’s the balance here? We want to be grateful for people’s service, absolutely. But the costs are up. What’s fair?”

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