Each week, Military.com puts together a Military Report, a round-up of the top military benefits news for the week. This week's edition has a few items of financial note:
Food is a big budget item at my house, so I was very interested to read Tom Philpott's article about changes coming to the commissaries. Online ordering and curbside pickup? Sounds fabulous. Smart phone apps that help you compare prices between the commissary and local stores? Awesome. Read this and more at Major Changes in Store for Commissaries.
Retirees who are wondering about the 2012 Cost of Living Adjustment (COLA) will be glad to know that the bill is back for action in the Senate. Military retirees are usually awarded the same COLA as Social Security recipients, and the process is usually pretty uneventful. This year, the COLA bill got shuffled a bit and people were worried. Whatever happened appears to be over and we're waiting to hear on the vote. More details are available at Terry Howell's 2013 Vet COLA Bill Taken Off "Secret Hold."
Recent changes to the Tricare Dental Program have left some military families with surprise dental bills. Some dentists who were previously network providers are no longer within the network, even though they "accept Tricare." This means that they are able to charge patients more. Check with your dentist's office to make sure they are still at the same level with the Tricare Dental Program so you won't have any unexpected costs to pay.
Military.com does a great job of keeping up on all the various benefits. Subscribing to the Military Report is a great way to get the most up-to-date news directly to your email box.
