How do you like Tricare?

caliotter3 · Apr 9, 2011

If you have Tricare available to you, I urge you to take advantage of it. I have it and love it. It is about the best thing that came from my military service other than my retainer pay.

nurse2033, MSN, RN · Apr 9, 2011

If you have Tricare available to you, I urge you to take advantage of it. I have it and love it. It is about the best thing that came from my military service other than my retainer pay.

Thanks for the endorsement!

MsPC · Apr 9, 2011

I love Tricare. I have had it most of my life and will have it as long as I possibly could. It's more affordable than my civilian employer's health insurance was.

Joker269MPCO · Apr 10, 2011

For the most part i am happy with it. We have had a few hickups with them and of course I would have loved to strangled someone if I could have gotten ahold of them at the time. Overall though it is very good. We have been on the Tricare Prime Remote for several years, due to being more than 50 miles away from a military post. The doctors in the network have all been great and my wife absoulutely loves her OB/GYN and our Pediatrician. The prescription care is awesome also.

The only issue we had was with them not wanting to pay for some of the treatments that our youngest needed and we had to end up paying several thousand dollars on our own to get the treatment. But when you look at the big picture and consider they have totally covered 3 C-Section births, 2 childrens stay in ICU for weeks from birth, and my wifes open heart surgery without a cent from us, its a pretty good deal.

Trauma Columnist · Apr 10, 2011

I was active duty then married another active duty guy and have had tricare (used to be champus) since 1977.

We have been extremely fortunate that we haven't used it much. It is our secondary as both my husband and I have employer paid blue cross blue shield.

When hubby's retires tricare becomes his part D.

coconutzz · Apr 10, 2011

As the military member it is great, pays for everything. As a dependent it can have good and bad points. As a dependent I have had to wait long periods of time to get an appointment with my PCM, get a referral for a specialty clinic, be told they are only taking active duty due to being understaffed, wait for a request for an outside provider to be approved then get an appointment with them. Plus, if you use an outside provider that is Tricare approved, they can send you anywhere. My dermatologist is 50miles away and they don't always pay for all services. Just something to consider for your family. Oh, and the dental for dependents doesn't cover more than the 2 routine appointments per year.

I am no more satisfied or dissatisfied than other insurance. Some difficulties and regulations to work through.

0402 · Apr 10, 2011

I've been on it both as an AD member and currently, as a dependent. I had no issues as AD- I did have 2 babies on AD, and for the most part, my care was very good. Now, with 3 kids and myself on it as dependents, I am very happy with our care. Everything has been paid for except for one type of treatment for my son, but it is also not covered by most other insurances, so it was several hundred dollars out of pocket. However, when he needed surgery, we didn't pay a penny. At our current duty station, regular care is at the MTF, but pretty much any specialty care, we are referred out (which has been a first for me), but we have not waited longer than a week for our referrals. Most of them have been to great doctors, very, very close to our house (we are in a major metropolitan area, so I'm sure that helps with availability). Personally, I don't really have any complaints, other than a few annoyances (which I'm sure I would have with any other insurance, except I would be paying premiums, co-pays and plenty of other money, as well).

The dental actually covers the 2 cleanings/ yr, and annual check up, along with 80/20 coverage for most basic stuff like fillings. They do not cover anything for braces for people over 23, I believe (though it might be 21). Then again, it's rare to find one that does cover them for adults.

SoldierNurse22, BSN, RN · Apr 12, 2011

Just got on Tricare and so far, so good. Like others have said, it has its hiccups, but what doesn't? It's great insurance, especially considering how things are nowadays...

annabeap, MSN, APRN, NP · Apr 12, 2011

I don't use it nearly as often as I could.

I'd rather just buy my antihistamines OTC than fight to see my PCM to get a prescription for it. And working in peds, it's amazing how many scripts are written for tylenol and ibuprofen- and how many parents request for them to be written.

I do have to admit that being active duty doesn't necessarily give you an appt right away. Maybe it's because I'm in a large retiree area and our system is overloaded.

But if you want to see your PCM about your sore throat, don't be surprised if they make you set up another appt to talk about your tender knee. And you need a referral for EVERYTHING. :)

CRF250Xpert · Apr 13, 2011

If you are enrolled in a panel that supports AD, their dependents, and retirees; remember the focus is in that order as well. With 3 wars going on and natural disasters – I have to keep the troop fit to deploy, then his dependents can get in the clinic, then the retirees can be seen. It’s command specific, but typically keeping the AD troop in the fight or on the flight line back at work instead of sitting in the waiting room is my primary job. I spent time on one team where all I ever saw was AD troops – we stopped seeing anyone else because of the heavy deployment commitment.

Our healthcare system has been great for me and mine and I like to think I make it the best I can for those that make an apt to see me. Folks just need to understand that we are no longer a peacetime mil. We have very heavy taskings outside of the traditional family medicine we used to provide. If a wife can’t get an appt, there is probably a decent reason.

ArmyRNOB · Apr 17, 2011

I love Tricare. It's so easy and there are hardly any forms. I especially love how I can just go gets meds at the pharmacy and not have to wait for them to call the doc to verify the script and call my insurance company first prior to filling it. It's all in the system.

Many people complain about Tricare but almost universally I've noticed that they have never had any other insurance other than Tricare. I don't think they always see how Tricare can be much less of a hassle compared to other insurance companies.