tricare questions

allnurses Guide · Apr 25, 2010

I have questions about tricare. I know i'll sign up when I get to Maxwell.
1. How much does it cost for family?
2. My kids won't be with me, do they have to go to the base for care?
3. dental care is separate? where are they able to go for dental?
Anything else you think I may need to know?
thanks

1. Zero for AD. Prescriptions off base for dependents is 9 dollars (for most things), and dental insurance for the family is 20 or 30 a month.

2. No, they can goto any provider that accepts tricare, but it will probably be a pain if they are in a different tricare region than what you are in.

3. Any place that takes concordia dental insurance.

I think you will do your DEERS paperwork at Maxwell, but actually enrolling your family members in tricare I believe doesn't happen until you get to your permanent duty station.

Overview

midinphx, BSN · Apr 25, 2010

Thanks wtb.

It sounds like it will be best to keep my son's insurance here with his dad? I think I'll enroll him any which way. He can keep his dad's here too.

It's going to be weird going back to the military healthcare system. No copays again. Wow. If you haven't done the civilian insurance in awhile, be happy. It's expensive, even if you are healthy. :)

vegas2009 · Apr 25, 2010

It's going to be weird going back to the military healthcare system. No copays again. Wow. If you haven't done the civilian insurance in awhile, be happy. It's expensive, even if you are healthy. :)

No kidding. I miss being overseas, medical/dental/eye were all free. No co-pays, no nothing, no drama ... just show up for appointments. Pick up the prescription needed and that's it. No hassle, no fuss.

Plus, the military (Air force/Navy) medical staff are a bunch of professional folks! The ones that I had appointments with anyway.

carolinapooh, BSN, RN · Apr 25, 2010

The Tricare dental insurance is a joke. Don't bother - get dental elsewhere. You'll get better coverage for the same amount of money. We didn't do very good research before we contracted with United Concordia and now we regret it.

For kids that are in separate geographic locations from their sponsor, the kid is enrolled in the Tricare region he or she lives in, not the one you live in. If I were you, I'd look at Tricare very carefully - it's free and you truly can't beat the coverage anywhere.

What you're talking about is called "split enrollment". I got this off the Tricare website:

Split Enrollment

The split enrollment option allows your entire family to enroll in TRICARE Prime even if part of your family is living in another TRICARE region (North or West). This allows families with college students, children living with former spouses or families otherwise separated to enroll together in separate regions.

To use the split enrollment option, you must notify the regional contractor in each region to establish a primary payer, usually the sponsor, if you pay enrollment fees.

North Region Contractor

Health Net Federal Services, LLC

Welcome To Health Net Federal Services (TRICARE North Region & VA Programs)

1-877-TRICARE

West Region Contractor

TriWest Healthcare Alliance

1-888-TRIWEST

There is no limit on the number of family members who can enroll, and if you pay enrollment fees, you will only have one enrollment fee and one enrollment anniversary date. Enrollment fee bills/statements are sent to the primary payer (usually the sponsor).

Contact Humana Military at 1-800-444-5445, if you have additional questions about split enrollment.

Last Modified: January 27, 2010

Only North and West are listed because I have to access the Tricare site through Tricare South - which is where you will also be enrolled since you'll be down here with me.

Tricare's website is TRICARE.mil Portal. The Tricare reps here at Wilford Hall are very nice and very helpful.

carolinapooh, BSN, RN · Apr 25, 2010

No kidding. I miss being overseas, medical/dental/eye were all free. No co-pays, no nothing, no drama ... just show up for appointments. Pick up the prescription needed and that's it. No hassle, no fuss.
Plus, the military (Air force/Navy) medical staff are a bunch of professional folks! The ones that I had appointments with anyway.

Well, for the member, all that stuff's still free, regardless of where you are.

I think it stinks that they took dental away from kids and replaced it with that crap United Concordia. That plan is an embarrassment to Tricare.

My husband met the $1500 cap in two visits! (And his teeth are not a mess - I'd kill him if they were.)

I don't mind paying for him, but to have to pay for a kid for basic dental shouldn't happen. Even after my dad retired I used to go to the Coast Guard Base to see the dentist. At least you can still take dependents to military facilities for medical care. My husband just had an MRI of his knee and now has physical therapy twice a week - and we pay nothing! After paying what the civilian side wanted (over $300 a month - plus copays - plus plus plus, really) I really can't gripe about that.

The Little Greek · Apr 25, 2010

Thanks wtb.
It sounds like it will be best to keep my son's insurance here with his dad? I think I'll enroll him any which way. He can keep his dad's here too.
It's going to be weird going back to the military healthcare system. No copays again. Wow. If you haven't done the civilian insurance in awhile, be happy. It's expensive, even if you are healthy. :)

I have a strange situation with Tricare but it works out nicely. I have all of my children on Tricare Standard (the free option). Two of my kids live with me and one, my step-son, does not. My children who live with me are seen in the clinic on-base and my step-son is enrolled in the region in which he lives. We have never had a problem with this arrangement. Maybe you should call Tricare and speak to them, that's what I did and they were very helpful.

carolinapooh, BSN, RN · Apr 25, 2010

I have a strange situation with Tricare but it works out nicely. I have all of my children on Tricare Standard (the free option). Two of my kids live with me and one, my step-son, does not. My children who live with me are seen in the clinic on-base and my step-son is enrolled in the region in which he lives. We have never had a problem with this arrangement. Maybe you should call Tricare and speak to them, that's what I did and they were very helpful.

Why are your kids not on Tricare Prime? Tricare Prime IS free for dependents if the sponsor is active duty. My husband is enrolled in Tricare Prime and we pay nothing, he goes to Wilford Hall and the Kelly AFB clinic for treatment, and his PT is off base (since Big Willie only sees active duty folks for PT) and it's all 100% free.

Not trying to get into your business, I'm just curious as to why you'd run the risk of paying higher copays if your kids had to be seen in a civilian facility since Tricare Prime costs nothing.

Straight from the TRICARE website:

TRICARE Prime Annual Enrollment Fees

There are no enrollment fees for ADSMs and active duty family members (ADFMs) enrolled in TRICARE Prime, TPR, or TPRADFM. Retired service members, their families, surviving spouses (after the first three years), eligible former spouses, and others enrolled in TRICARE Prime are required to pay an annual enrollment fee, which is applied to the catastrophic cap.

shapely · Apr 25, 2010

I have lived in different areas than my husband (AD) and never had a problem enrolling in Tricare. He enrolled me in DEERS and I went to the hospital on base to enroll myself in Tricare. In fact, I've never had a problem finding a doctor that took Tricare. I've always had to go out in town because of the clinics being too full on the bases but I've never had to pay a copay and I still get my scripts filled on base. Definately get your kids Tricare. It's really not bad. I've enjoyed it as a dependent.

carolinapooh, BSN, RN · Apr 25, 2010

Thanks wtb.
It sounds like it will be best to keep my son's insurance here with his dad? I think I'll enroll him any which way. He can keep his dad's here too.
It's going to be weird going back to the military healthcare system. No copays again. Wow. If you haven't done the civilian insurance in awhile, be happy. It's expensive, even if you are healthy. :)

Tricare all the way....it's free and you can't beat the system, regardless of what anyone says...

If he becomes covered by Tricare, he cannot have insurance with any other provider. You will have to sign papers stating he has no other coverage - and they will find out, just as soon as he needs medical care and the bills are cut. So you can't double-dip - but given the proportion that Tricare pays, you won't need to.

What I keep forgetting about being military is I CAN go to the doctor (you had to budget that in in the civilian world sometimes!). For some stupid reason I keep paying for Zyrtec (allergies in Texas are ridiculous - EVERYONE has them). Why I don't just waltz on down to the doc is beyond me...

allnurses Guide · Apr 25, 2010

Tricare all the way....it's free and you can't beat the system, regardless of what anyone says...
What I keep forgetting about being military is I CAN go to the doctor (you had to budget that in in the civilian world sometimes!). For some stupid reason I keep paying for Zyrtec (allergies in Texas are ridiculous - EVERYONE has them). Why I don't just waltz on down to the doc is beyond me...

Why not just call and get T-con for a zyrtec prescription...just tell them that is what you have been using for years.

carolinapooh, BSN, RN · Apr 25, 2010

Why not just call and get T-con for a zyrtec prescription...just tell them that is what you have been using for years.

Stupidity. Forgetting I can do it. Not thinking about it until my eyes are running. :eek: :eek: :eek:

Good point. I'll be doing that tomorrow!