USA Today is featuring an article by Greg Zoroya about the exploding costs of military medicine:

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-of-pocket fees for military retirees and some active-duty families in 15 years, said Rear Adm. Christine Hunter, deputy director of TRICARE, the military health care program.

Comment: Rinse. Lather. Repeat. This is the same story that comes out every year. Medical care costs are rising. Tricare Premiums need to go up but voters say no. Military leaders would rather buy bombs and guns. Pretty soon we will have a medical department and no military. What can we do to decrease costs? Let's create a DoD Center of Medical Cost Cutting Excellence and hire hundreds of people to study the issue. What job offers a lifelong pension and healthcare benefits? Maybe it is time to look at the sacred cow...