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MUSNAVC Legislative Update - April 2026
Lennie Enzel

 

The Major Richard Star Act

As of March 2026, the Senate has blocked the Major Richard Star Act (S. 1032) for the second time this session. Senator Ron Johnson (R-Wis.) objected to the unanimous consent request, citing concerns that the legislation, which would end the unfair offset of retirement pay for medically retired combat veterans, is too expensive and lacks offsets, adding approximately $10 to $12 billion in costs.There are more than 50,000 combat-wounded veterans who were forced out of uniform by injury and are now denied full benefits solely because they were wounded too soon or too severely to continue serving. The legislation remains stuck in the Senate Armed Services Committee, despite having broad bipartisan support, including over 70 co-sponsors. MOAA and other veterans' groups continue to push for the bill's passage to honor the nation’s promise to wounded veterans. 

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Address MTF Access Problems with the Military CARE Act (HR6706)

The Military CARE Act is designed to address systemic access-to-care problems at Military Treatment Facilities (MTFs) by establishing a standardized, transparent digital platform for reporting and resolving issues. The act aims to solve common challenges like long wait times, appointment shortages, and referral delays. The Act requires the Department of Defense (DoD) to create a user-friendly platform for all TRICARE beneficiaries to file complaints regarding access to care. It will allow patients to view the status of their complaints, ensuring they are routed to the proper patient advocate for resolution. It will enable the Defense Health Agency (DHA) to aggregate data to identify widespread problems (e.g., pediatric care shortages or provider vacancies) rather than treating them as isolated incidents. Lastly, it will mandate annual reports to Congress regarding access trends and resolution times to ensure accountability.