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From Chuck Weber, your Veteran Service Officer...
 
 
TRICARE Changes Update   Upcoming Ones Which May Affect You

The Military Health System (MHS) is modernizing TRICARE to better serve you and respond to changes in law and policy. Most provisions will go into effect on January 1, 2018, with full implementation occurring on January 1, 2019. You will find changes that may affect you at https://tricare.mil/About/Changes and below.  TRICARE is still finalizing some policies and will update their page when additional details become available. Check back frequently. You can also sign up for Email Updates by going to  https://public.govdelivery.com/accounts/USMHSTMA/subscriber/new?topic_id=USMHSTMA_347.

Health Plans

·         TRICARE Standard and TRICARE Extra will become the new TRICARE Select plan.

·         TRICARE Prime and other TRICARE plans will undergo additional changes.

·         TRICARE For Life (Medicare wrap-around coverage) won’t change.

Costs

·         You may need to pay an enrollment fee, depending on your plan and when you became eligible for TRICARE.

·         Some costs will change annually starting on Jan. 1, 2018.

Enrollment

·         You will be automatically enrolled on Jan. 1, 2018 if you already have a plan or are eligible for TRICARE on Dec. 31, 2017.

·         After Jan. 1, 2018, you must enroll in a TRICARE plan to get or change coverage.

Stateside Regions and Contractors

·         The North and South regions will become the new East region Under the new regional contracts, the East Region is a merger of the North and South Regions and includes: Alabama, Arkansas, Connecticut, Delaware, the District of Columbia, Florida, Georgia, Illinois, Indiana, Iowa (Rock Island area), Kentucky, Louisiana, Maine, Maryland, Massachusetts, Michigan, Mississippi, Missouri (St. Louis area), New Hampshire, New Jersey, New York, North Carolina, Ohio, Oklahoma, Pennsylvania, Rhode Island, South Carolina, Tennessee, Texas (excluding El Paso area), Vermont, Virginia, West Virginia, and Wisconsin..

·         The West region Alaska, Arizona, California, Colorado, Hawaii, Idaho, Iowa (excludes Rock Island arsenal area), Kansas, Minnesota, Missouri (except St. Louis area), Montana, Nebraska, Nevada, New Mexico, North Dakota, Oregon, South Dakota, Texas (southwestern corner including El Paso), Utah, Washington and Wyoming. will remain the same.

·         Your regional contractors may change.

Accessing Care

·         Certain urgent care and primary care providers will offer extended hours.

·         Technological improvements will improve access.

What’s Covered

·         You can expect expanded coverage.

What You Need to Do Now

·         Update your information in DEERS

·         Check your current information. This includes your address, email address, and phone number in DEERS.

·         Update new information. Did you have a significant life event? This includes if you activated Called or ordered to active duty service for more than 30 days in a row., retired, separated, had or adopted a baby, got married or divorced, etc.

·         Update your payment information if you use electronic payments Beginning  Oct. 1, 2017  (You will be contacted by your regional contractor.)

When Is This Happening?

·         The new network provider directories will be available  beginning Nov. 1, 2017.  Check if your current provider is in network.

·         You’ll be notified by your regional contractor Beginning Nov. 1, 2017 if you’re being assigned a new Primary Care Manager.

·         New East and West regional contractor’s call center will be open beginning Nov. 20, 2017

·         The processing of new enrollments will be delayed during December as we files are transferred to new regional contractors December 201

·         Explanation of Benefits (EOB) are going paperless Jan 1, 2018. They will be available electronically only unless you specifically request to receive them by mail.

 

[Source:  TRICARE Communications | August 18, 2017 ++]

 

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