Question:
Tricare Standard Question ?
Answer:
I am cleaning out and reviewing the info I have collected from the group,
the Tricare Site and other sites on Tricare Standard. I will be dropping my
employer's plan (Oct is open enrollment) and using Tricare Standard as of 01
Jan 06.
One of the group posts from 19 Apr 05 mentioned "There are several very good
supplements to Tricare, at all levels, I have one for Tricare standard (the
*free* version) that not only pays all co-pays, deductibles, but the annual
$300 deductible per patient as well." What is this supplement and from whom
does it come?
The medical center that my wife and I use accepts Tricare as does the eye
clinic that we use, ditto the dentists. I called DEERS (even though I also
used the web site), just to ease my own mind and talk to a human, and the
lady was quite helpful and informative and yes, my wife and I were good to
go.
The Retiree Dental program has rates that vary by Zip Code (?) and here it
is $55.72/month, about $11 or $12 more a month than my employer dental
program. When I get to make a personal contribution to "make my employer
more competitive in the global economy" (aka laid off) then we will go with
the Retiree Dental program.
Just about every retiree membership organization offers a Tricare Standard
supplement. Most are fairly the same in that they cover copays and
deductibles. While you are at it, take a look at Tricare Prime. It is
$460/year for a family. Depending on geography and access to a Military
Treatment Facility, it may offer you more. Each case has to be decided on
its merits.
You don't need a Military Treatment Facility for prime, just a Prime
Manager. That's what I've done. The HMO-like offering is managed by a
local clinic (a teaching one), that sees me and refers when needed.
$12/visit deductible, the rest paid by Tri-Care. And almost all the
specialties are covered here and accept Tri-Care assignment.
When I had my heart attack, I had only standard with no supplement. For
the emergency room, ambulance and 3-days in the hospital with the heart
surgeon, my out of pocket was a few thousand.
I figured it up under Prime and my out of pocket would have been:
$65 for the Ambulance and Emergency Room
$33 for the 3 days in the hospital.
All for $256 a year (single). Damn bargain, if I do say so myself.
Does the Retiree Dental Program pay for dental treatments that you need
right now? After enrolling in the program do you have to wait for a
year before undergoing treatment in order to collect the benefits? My
question is about "pre-existing" dental problems that you already know
that you have and have previously been advised about by your dentist
prior to your enrolling in the program. I know I need to get some
dental treatments very soon. My dentist and I have already set up the
appointment schedule. Should I enroll in the Tricare Dental program
right now?
If you don't have a plan B for dental (mine at the moment is my employer's
dental plan being a bit cheaper than Tricare Dental by Delta Dental) then
you seem to have to go with the Tricare Dental. Next question may be do you
want the enhanced plan. I know nothing of that, perhaps the links will
help.
Here are links to the Tricare Dental plan booklet as a 332K .pdf file. I
did a quick reading of "general policies" but didn't see anything about
pre-existing stuff, but I could have missed it.
Benefits Overview: Basic (no mention of pre-existing here either)
http://www.trdp.org/basic/bas_overview.htm
Upgrade to the Enhanced TRDP (cost?)
http://www.trdp.org/basic/upgrade.htm
here is a "Contact Us" page: http://www.trdp.org/retiree/ret_contact.htm
