Nov. 25, 2016 TRICARE and the Affordable Care Act With the implementation of the Patient Protection and Affordable Care Act (ACA) in 2010, TRICARE beneficiaries have had questions about how it will affect them. The ACA and TRICARE are very different, governed by two different pieces of legislation so changes in one have no effect on the other. The
Nov. 22, 2016 Protect Your Personal Information Don’t wait for fraud against TRICARE beneficiaries to be in the news. Always protect your personal information! Whether you’re active duty or retired, don’t share your uniformed service identification card, or personal or family information with someone you don’t know. Protecting your personal
Nov. 9, 2016 Open Enrollment and the Health Insurance Marketplace It’s the time of year when people can enroll in or change their health insurance plan. The open enrollment period for HealthCare.gov is November 1, 2016 to January 31, 2017 for 2017 coverage. How does this affect you? Most TRICARE beneficiaries don’t need to worry about open enrollment. However,
Nov. 2, 2016 The Importance of Health Literacy Health literacy means how well you understand your basic health information and services available to you. According to Health.gov, nearly nine out of ten adults may lack the skills needed to manage their health and prevent disease. First, you should know or have a copy of your health history, prior
Oct. 19, 2016 TRICARE to Expand Preventive Service Coverage TRICARE has always had excellent coverage of important preventive services and we are making it better. TRICARE is adding preventive services to ensure our preventive services are aligned with recommendations of the United States Preventive Services Task Force (USPSTF), and the Health Resources and
Oct. 6, 2016 Flu Season: Don’t Get Sick, Get Stuck Every year in the early fall, flu season begins again. The flu makes most people feel sick and miserable, but for some people it can be deadly. Getting the flu vaccine every year is the best way to protect you, your family and your community from the flu. The Centers for Disease Control and
Sept. 30, 2016 Express Scripts Pharmacy Network Changing for TRICARE Beneficiaries Express Scripts, Inc. (ESI) today announced upcoming changes to the retail pharmacy network it manages on behalf of TRICARE. On Dec. 1, 2016, Walgreens pharmacy locations will join the network. CVS pharmacies, including those in Target stores, will leave the network on the same day. The new network
Sept. 15, 2016 What’s Your Plan for a Disaster? Tropical storms, hurricanes, floods, cyber threats – there is no shortage of things that can go wrong. However, there is one thing that everyone can do to protect themselves: stay prepared. This National Preparedness Month, TRICARE reminds you that preparing for a disaster is not hard, but it does
Sept. 12, 2016 Military Drug Take Back Program Offers Safe Drug Disposal Excess prescription and over-the-counter drugs can pose a serious risk in your home. The Military Health System (MHS) is helping the military community fight back against the dangers of unneeded, unused and expired drugs by offering Drug Take Back at military pharmacies in the U.S. “Proper disposal
Sept. 12, 2016 Options for the Those Who Need Assisted Living As you or your loved ones age, you may find that getting to doctors’ offices is more difficult or more frequent. TRICARE offers several options to help you get the care you need. First, decide which services you need, like whether you need a skilled nursing facility or nursing home. Then you can
Sept. 6, 2016 Primary Care Manager Referral Waivers for Turkey Beneficiaries In April 2016, the Director of the Defense Health Agency, Vice Admiral Raquel Bono, approved a waiver of the primary care manager referral requirement for Active Duty Family Members (ADFMs) who were stationed in Turkey and evacuated to other worldwide locations. This waiver, expiring at the end of
Aug. 30, 2016 Medicare and TRICARE: How to Keep Your TRICARE Coverage By taking a few simple steps, retirees can make sure they have their TRICARE benefits after they turn 65. Four months before your 65th birthday, you will receive a postcard from the Defense Manpower Data Center (DMDC), the office that supports the Defense Enrollment Eligibility Reporting System,
Aug. 24, 2016 Missing Appointments Wastes Time and Money It has happened to many of us. We call and set up an appointment with our doctor. We even write it down. But, life happens and we remember the appointment about an hour after we were supposed to check-in. We are now official “no shows.”A no-show occurs when a patient misses an appointment without
July 25, 2016 Asked & Answered Webinar TRICARE and Military OneSource are co-hosting a webinar to bring you the answers to your questions. Join us on Wednesday, August 3, 2016, noon to 1pm EST, to ask us anything. We’ll have a panel of subject matter experts on hand to take your questions. Sign-up at
July 22, 2016 Webinar to Discuss TRICARE Dental Options TRICARE is hosting a webinar to educate TRICARE beneficiaries about TRICARE Dental Options. The webinar will take place on Wednesday, July 27, 2016, from noon-1 p.m. EST.No prior registration is required; simply join us at noon on the specified day and time at
July 22, 2016 DoD Awards TRICARE Managed Care Support Contracts The Department of Defense (DoD) announced today the next generation of TRICARE Managed Care Support Contracts. The new contracts, which go into effect nine months after the award, establish two TRICARE regions in the United States – East and West – instead of the current three. The East Region
July 8, 2016 Tips to Avoid Mosquito Bites this Summer The American Mosquito Control Association reports that over one million people worldwide die from mosquito-borne diseases every year. This summer, TRICARE wants to help you avoid their bites, which are not only irritating, but can also carry diseases that make both people and pets very ill.Mosquito
July 7, 2016 Call Your Regional Contractor First when Getting Specialty Care TRICARE beneficiaries with special needs or a serious illness or injury have several resources available for help. Your care is best coordinated through your regional contractor.TRICARE rules require that if the care you need is available at a military hospital or clinic near you, and there is space
July 7, 2016 Protect Your Personal Information Fraud against TRICARE beneficiaries is in the news. Protecting your personal information is vital to your privacy, and prevents abuse of taxpayer funds. Be safe; don’t share your military ID or other personal or family information with an unknown person.Fraudsters often target TRICARE beneficiaries,
July 7, 2016 Grill Up Food Safety this Summer According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), 1 in 6 Americans get sick from eating contaminated food each year. TRICARE wants to help you practice food safety this summer. Food poisoning peaks in the summer months because warmer temperatures cause foodborne germs to grow. There