Sign Rep. Pallone’s letter to DOD! RE: Healthcare Access & Readiness in Japan

I wanted to flag the letter that is being circulated by Rep. Frank Pallone. The letter, titled "Letter to DoD on Civilian Health care in Japan," is open for signatures until APRIL 20th. I urge you to sign in support of myself and all other residents who have, or know someone who have, dedicated their careers and lives to protect our country. Healthcare is mission essential and should not be overlooked. For reference, see below: Letter to DoD on Civilian Health Care in Japan Add your member HERE, closing COB Thursday, April 20 Dear Colleague: I invite you to join me in sending a letter to Secretary of Defense Lloyd Austin urging him to address the current lack of quality health care for members of the Department of Defense’s civilian component stationed in Japan. This is a serious issue impacting military readiness in a strategic region, and failure to take immediate action could lead to a mass exodus of critical civilian employees and contractors. Since January 1, many DoD civilian employees, their families, and some veterans have been limited to same-day, space available appointments for immediate medical needs. The Defense Health Agency Indo-Pacific Region made the decision to restrict civilian access to health care in October of last year. DoD began enforcing the policy in January, ending easy access to U.S. military hospitals in the region for anyone not covered by Tricare Prime, the military’s highest level health care plan. On March 3, DoD issued a memo reversing this decision, stating that civilians with chronic health conditions can once again be treated by on-base doctors in the Indo-Pacific region, though still on a space-available basis. The change came after thousands of DoD civilians in Japan participated in town halls held by the Pentagon to address the issue. The DoD announced further flexibility for access to medical care for civilians in late March. Despite the partial reversal of policy by DoD, access to health care remains a serious problem for civilians stationed in Japan. This letter urges the Department to take immediate steps to ensure access to standard primary and emergency care for all active duty servicemembers and their dependents, civilians, and contractors stationed in the country. This problem must be addressed in a comprehensive way to give our civilian workforce that supports our security in the region the piece of mind they need to continue their service. Please add your member HERE and reach out to James Johnson from my office with any questions at James.Johnson@mail.house.gov. Sincerely, FRANK PALLONE, JR. Member of Congress