My Army Life Binder Entry Week 4: Healthcare (not a questions post). Please highlight, copy and paste into a document before printing and putting your or your Soldier’s binder. Happy reading! -Sonya Healthcare Active duty Soldiers and Reserve Component (RC)Soldiers who are ordered to active duty for more than 30 days are generally entitled to free Service provided health care and are automatically enrolled in a program called TRICARE Prime. Health care for the Soldier is almost always available at the medical treatment facility located on the post where the Soldier is assigned. Although Soldiers themselves don’t usually have a choice as to whom will provide their health care, the Soldier’s Family members, including those of RC Soldiers ordered to active duty for more than 30 days, have more than one choice about where they may go for health care. If you are an eligible Family member of a Soldier who is on active duty, then you are covered by one of the TRICARE programs as long as you have a valid military ID card and are registered in DEERS. If your sponsor enrolls your Family in TRICARE Prime (one of the three options), you will be assigned a primary care provider (it could be a physician, a physician’s assistant, or a nurse practitioner) at the local hospital or clinic on the installation where your Soldier is assigned. A medical record will be made for all Family members at the military treatment facility (MTF). Before you move to another post, check to make sure that the hospital or clinic will forward your medical records and X-rays to your new clinic or hospital. You should check on this each time you move to a new location and receive care from a new treatment facility. Because TRICARE (Army Health Insurance) TRICARE is the Department of Defense’s (DoD) medical entitlement program, it’s possible that you might be referred by your primary care manager to, for instance, a nearby Air Force or Navy medical facility for some examinations or treatment. This military medical system also makes use of civilian doctors and hospitals for some care. TRICARE is free to Soldiers. For Family members, TRICARE may involve some out-of-pocket expenses. The cost varies depending on the Soldier’s rank and the specific TRICARE program option in which the Family member is enrolled. Through the TRICARE program, Family members can also go to civilian health care providers if they desire. But before going to a civilian practitioner, it is a good idea to check out the TRICARE rules and find out how TRICARE works. Otherwise you could end up with bills to pay by yourself. The first step to using TRICARE is to visit the Beneficiary Counseling and Assistance Coordinator (BCAC) at the nearest military health care facility and this is one of the first things you should do when you get to your first duty station. This person is an expert in the TRICARE system whose job is to give you the information you need concerning TRICARE. The BCAC will confirm your registration in DEERS and can advise you on your health care options. Your BCAC can provide you with a list of doctors in your local area who will accept “TRICARE assignment” patients. In addition, when the time comes, the BCAC can assist you in filling out TRICARE paperwork. TRICARE offers eligible beneficiaries three primary choices for their health care: TRICARE Prime — This managed care option offers fewer out-of-pocket costs than any other TRICARE option. TRICARE Prime enrollees receive most of their care from an MTF. TRICARE Prime enrollees are assigned a primary care manager whose responsibility is to provide and coordinate care, maintain patient health records, and refer patients to specialists when necessary. Specialty care must also be arranged and approved by the primary care manager to be covered under TRICARE Prime. TRICARE Prime patients generally have no out-of-pocket expenses for civilian care. Soldiers are automatically enrolled in TRICARE Prime, and most Families elect TRICARE Prime as well because there are generally no out-of-pocket expenses except a small co-payment for medications. In addition to TRICARE Prime, Family members also have two other options, Extra and Standard. TRICARE Extra — This preferred provider option (PPO) allows beneficiaries to choose a doctor, hospital, or other medical provider within the TRICARE provider network. The program is available for all TRICARE eligible beneficiaries who are not able to or who choose not to enroll in TRICARE Prime. There is no enrollment or annual fee required for TRICARE Extra; however, beneficiaries are responsible for annual deductibles and some cost shares. Costs are lower than for TRICARE Standard, but the range of providers is slightly less than under TRICARE Standard. Your TRICARE benefits advisor can assist you in determining if this is a better choice for you than TRICARE Prime or Standard. TRICARE Standard — This is a fee-for-service option. You may seek care from any TRICARE authorized provider. TRICARE Standard shares most of the costs of care from civilian hospitals and doctors when you or Family members do not receive care from an MTF. Care may still be received at an MTF, but on a space-available basis. TRICARE Standard may be the only coverage available in some areas. This option gives you the broadest range of providers, but in exchange For this you pay higher fees. Regardless of the enrollment option selected, people treated by MTF personnel usually will not have to pay for their care To get assistance on these topics and more, Families should contact their local military hospital or clinic or seek assistance at their regional TRICARE office. For more information on TRICARE, visit the Web site at tricare.mil or call 1-888-DOD-LIFE (1-888-363-5433). The official TRICARE Handbook can be accessed online at tricare.mil/tricarehandbook/.
Posted on: Mon, 03 Nov 2014 11:26:00 +0000
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