Well as retired military, I'd have to say that while not paying directly, it was part of my agreed benefits package. In the military they do this cute thing every year (not sure if they still do it) to show you how much you get, medical care was always factored in with a dollar amount placed on it. Of course if you believe the less than $4000 yearly salary (1979, not near great even back then) my first full year net me was it, then that's your choice My requiter sure hyped the health care and other benefits, to make the pay sound better. BTW for 2010 an E-2 with less than 2 year in it's now $19465.20 a year (before taxes, might get all FED and state back, but not SS or Medicare). A minimum wage job pays $15080.00 per year. So the military sounds good, right? Sure, until you consider the min. wage job is based on a 40 hour a week and the military job is however many hours they need you 24/7 (but at the very least it's a forty hour work week).

BTW when I enlisted min wage was $2.90 an hour or $6032 (based on a 40 hour work week). If you tore my $3900 a year down to an hourly wage it would have been $1.88 based on 40 hours (Ha) (slightly better than the $1.25 an hour I made when I was 14 working on a farm, but less than $3.25 when I left).

Now about that military medical, besides physicals and the occasional Motrin (was Tylenol in the early days) for all ailments, the only procedure I ever had was a vasectomy (not even preformed by a doctor). I'd say I and lots of folks like me, saved the military plenty of cash. That was 24 years worth. If Obamacare will consist of handing out Motrin and telling folks to get back to work, boy are some people going to be surprised. Good luck with that. The front-line is a much different story, it just isn't the whole story. Also, we give medical care to illegals, why not enemy combatants, even those that just promised to kill our captured troops and are not signatories to the Geneva Convention for the treatment of prisoners. The VA hospitals don't need it, right?

The Military is notorious for not paying well, and the catch is the benefits.  But then the benefits do not feed a family.

Still, given the choice, many would opt for the cash and buy their own health insurance.  At least my parents would have.

I knew some guys that bought supplemental health insurance while on active duty. I never felt a need, young and indestructible, why buy something you feel you will not need. My medical record was paper thin my entire career. Of course that line of thinking will be off limits for young people now. They will be paying for both me and neighbor from south of the border, Pedro's, sub par care whether they want to or not. Thanks.

I dare say my parents records were like yours!  But they hated the care for us kids!  It was not the coverage, but the care that they truned purple about.  I know many military doctors are top notch, but it was just their attitude towards treatment that they hated.  And my step father was a corpsman!

Many of the military hospitals can be quite "DMVish", if I use that created word.