{"id":56605,"date":"2018-08-01T15:20:56","date_gmt":"2018-08-01T15:20:56","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/one.sightlinemg.com\/navytimes\/uncategorized\/2018\/08\/01\/heres-why-the-armed-forces-retirement-home-is-slowing-down-its-planned-fee-hikes\/"},"modified":"2026-08-08T09:53:15","modified_gmt":"2026-08-08T09:53:15","slug":"heres-why-the-armed-forces-retirement-home-is-slowing-down-its-planned-fee-hikes","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/one.sightlinemg.com\/navytimes\/management\/pay-benefits\/2018\/08\/01\/heres-why-the-armed-forces-retirement-home-is-slowing-down-its-planned-fee-hikes\/","title":{"rendered":"Here\u2019s why the Armed Forces Retirement Home is slowing down its planned fee hikes"},"content":{"rendered":"\n

Residents of the Armed Forces Retirement Home will have a temporary reprieve from a proposed fee increase,<\/a> which now will be phased in over three years, officials announced.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

And for the first time, married couples may soon be able to live in the AFRH.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

The pending defense authorization bill<\/a> would give the green light to a number of AFRH officials’ requests designed to increase revenue for the financially strapped retirement home, which serves certain retired and former enlisted members. But they did slow down officials’ plans to increase fees Oct. 1, requiring them to phase in the increases.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

The pending legislation would open the door to more residents, including married couples as well as former enlisted members who suffered a service-connected disability, regardless of whether they\u2019re incapable of earning a living.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

The House has approved the bill; the Senate is expected to vote this month.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

In January, fees will increase to 46.7 percent of a resident\u2019s income or a maximum of $1,990 a month, up from 40 percent of income and $1,458 maximum, said retired Army Maj. Gen. Steve Rippe, who took over as chief executive officer <\/a>of the retirement home in November. He announced the changes to residents July 25.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

By January 2021, residents will pay 60 percent of their gross income, or a maximum fee of $3,054 per month, for the independent living unit and associated services such as three meals a day, health care services, transportation and other activities. That maximum fee for those units, where about three-fourths of the residents live, had been scheduled to take effect Oct. 1; a number of residents contacted their members of Congress with concerns about the increases. The cost of operating those independent units is $3,054 a month, AFRH officials said.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

The phased in approach gives residents more time to make financial plans to adjust, Rippe said. He said much of the pushback was from residents whose income is more than $4,583 a month, and whose fees would double, reaching the max amount, under the planned rate hike.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u201cThe thinking was, they ought to pay what it costs us to operate,\u201d Rippe said. He said feedback from the new fee schedule has been good, as residents are pleased the increase isn\u2019t happening Oct. 1.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

One resident described the change as a \u201csmall reprieve,\u201d but said the increase is \u201cstill a bit draconian.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u201cI unfortunately am one of the casualties and have chosen to relocate until such time as I can have my financial house in order by fully paying off past consumer debt,\u201d he said in an email. \u201cI do intend to reapply and once again become an AFRH resident if (when) space is available.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u201cEvery resident\u2019s situation is different. However, for the average 84-year-old resident, it is a heck of a position to be put in.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Residents won\u2019t be evicted if they\u2019re unable to pay, Rippe said, noting that officials will work with residents individually.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

All AFRH residents are retired or certain former enlisted members. AFRH has about 858 residents on two campuses, one in Washington and one in Gulfport, Mississippi. It can accommodate more than 1,100 residents.<\/p>\n\n\n\t