benefits

allnurses Guide · Jun 8, 2008

-Do dependents get free dental/health care in addition to the servicemember?
-Do retired veterans get free dental/healthcare from the VA after retirement?
Thanks :)

1. Basically your dependents get either free or low cost dental/medical while you are on active duty. Most people choose to get the family dental plan which I think is about $20 a month. There is usually very little out of pocket expenses for your dependents medical/dental care. Now saying that I have one child that required compounded medicine and the base couldn't do it, so we ended spending about $100 a month on her meds, because tricare wouldn't cover it. Also, with the same child we maxed out the yearly cap on her dental coverage and ended spending about $2000 out of our pocket for dental work. Recently though as long as you don't have the family dental coverage you can get dependent dental work on base w/o any out of pocket expense.

2. Most retirees get their medical care on base/MTF after they retire, but retirees can choose to get it at the VA or through a civilian provider that accepts tricare. A lot of it just depends on the area the retire is at/live when they retire.

Here is a link to a more in depth explanation. http://usmilitary.about.com/od/healthcare/Military_Health_Medical_Care.htm

I also recommend getting AF time/Navy times/Army times (whichever branch you are interested in) each one has a world of information and can really help new military members with the transition to military life.

http://www.militarytimes.com/

http://www.militarytimes.com/subscribe/

http://usmilitary.about.com/od/healthcare/Military_Health_Medical_Care.htm

crazylilkelly · Jun 8, 2008

1. Basically your dependents get either free or low cost dental/medical while you are on active duty. Most people choose to get the family dental plan which I think is about $20 a month. There is usually very little out of pocket expenses for your dependents medical/dental care. Now saying that I have one child that required compounded medicine and the base couldn't do it, so we ended spending about $100 a month on her meds, because tricare wouldn't cover it. Also, with the same child we maxed out the yearly cap on her dental coverage and ended spending about $2000 out of our pocket for dental work. Recently though as long as you don't have the family dental coverage you can get dependent dental work on base w/o any out of pocket expense.
2. Most retirees get their medical care on base/MTF after they retire, but retirees can choose to get it at the VA or through a civilian provider that accepts tricare. A lot of it just depends on the area the retire is at/live when they retire.
Here is a link to a more in depth explanation. http://usmilitary.about.com/od/healthcare/Military_Health_Medical_Care.htm
I also recommend getting AF time/Navy times/Army times (whichever branch you are interested in) each one has a world of information and can really help new military members with the transition to military life.
http://www.militarytimes.com/
http://www.militarytimes.com/subscribe/
http://usmilitary.about.com/od/healthcare/Military_Health_Medical_Care.htm

Thanks so much! The links were really helpful.

Trauma Columnist · Jun 8, 2008

Gotta correct this: hubby is Air Force retiree after 23 years, no disability, conts to work full-time. As of a few years ago, the VA only has to care for those vets and/or retirees who have a service-connected disability. I'm a vet also. neither my husband nor I qualify for VA care at all....there are strict income guidelines and we make too much! Now....we are not wealthy or anything like that, but the VA system is so stressed just caring for the service-connected population, they can't take care of others.

As to care on military bases for retirees and their families: hmmmm...well first you have to live near a base. Scott AFB in O'Fallon, IL is about 200 miles from us. They recently downsized from a hospital to an outpatient clinic and have no dental for retirees either.

We do have Tricare Standard (no premiums) which does help pay for care. However, we also both have single health care policies where we work.

Please don't count on FREE healthcare for you and your dependents (and by the way, that is the worst word in the English language for many of us!).

Whew - sorry to rant but I want this to be truthful. I have either been active duty myself or a family member since 1978 so I have had some experience over the years. Please take care.

allnurses Guide · Jun 8, 2008

Gotta correct this: hubby is Air Force retiree after 23 years, no disability, conts to work full-time. As of a few years ago, the VA only has to care for those vets and/or retirees who have a service-connected disability. I'm a vet also. neither my husband nor I qualify for VA care at all....there are strict income guidelines and we make too much! Now....we are not wealthy or anything like that, but the VA system is so stressed just caring for the service-connected population, they can't take care of others.
As to care on military bases for retirees and their families: hmmmm...well first you have to live near a base. Scott AFB in O'Fallon, IL is about 200 miles from us. They recently downsized from a hospital to an outpatient clinic and have no dental for retirees either.
We do have Tricare Standard (no premiums) which does help pay for care. However, we also both have single health care policies where we work.
Please don't count on FREE healthcare for you and your dependents (and by the way, that is the worst word in the English language for many of us!).
Whew - sorry to rant but I want this to be truthful. I have either been active duty myself or a family member since 1978 so I have had some experience over the years. Please take care.

Thanks Trauma for the input:

I am just commenting on where I have been and what I have seen. I know tricare just changed their rules about dental this last year. We can now get all of the kids dental care on base as long as we don't have the dental insurance.

The "free" medical for life is sore subject with a lot of retirees. I know if I heard it once I have heard it a million times from retirees "when I joined the military my recruiter told me I would get free medical care for life".

The only thing you can believe from your recruiter is what is written on your contract.

JDCitizen · Jun 17, 2008

Thanks Trauma for the input:
I am just commenting on where I have been and what I have seen. I know tricare just changed their rules about dental this last year. We can now get all of the kids dental care on base as long as we don't have the dental insurance.
The "free" medical for life is sore subject with a lot of retirees. I know if I heard it once I have heard it a million times from retirees "when I joined the military my recruiter told me I would get free medical care for life".
The only thing you can believe from your recruiter is what is written on your contract.

So when I get old (er) I had better have money in the bank and Medicare with supplemental?