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 1.  Fit for Life: Healthy Forces, Healthy Families
 2.  New Patients Surveys Help Humana Military Serve You Better
 3.  Defense Legislation Improves TRICARE Benefits for Reservists and Their Families
 4.  Cancer Clinical Trials Available to TRICARE Beneficiaries
 5.  Your Primer on TRICARE Prime in the South Region
 6.  HOMECOMING: Making the Transition
 7.  Tracking Your Catastrophic Cap
 8.  Don't Ignore Those Bills
 9.  FAQs: TRICARE Vision Coverage
10. Choosing Hospice Care
11. Alternatives to Hospice Care
12. TRICARE's Value Remains Strong
13. Contacts
Fit for Life: Healthy Forces, Healthy Families (Article 1)
Campaign Promotes Wellness Choices for 9.1 Million Beneficiaries
This year, the Military Health System (MHS) and TRICARE are taking steps to promote healthy lifestyles among its 9.1 million beneficiaries. The Healthy Choices for Life campaign is focused on weight management, smoking cessation and the responsible use of alcohol. Here’s a quick look at why these health issues are so important.

Weight Management
In 2001, the Surgeon General declared overweight and obesity to be a U.S. public health concern. This nationwide problem has only intensified since then. Today, two-thirds of Americans are considered to be overweight, one-third of whom are considered to be obese.

Upward weight trends are also seen in the MHS beneficiary population—active duty service members and families, retired service members and their families, and survivors—with the alarming report that military children are classified as overweight at a higher rate than children in the general American population. More than 3,000 active duty service members are discharged each year for failure to comply with Service’s weight and fitness standards.

Being overweight or obese can lead to other serious health concerns, such as diabetes, hypertension, stroke, coronary artery disease, gallstones, respiratory disease, arthritis and cancer. Losing just 5 to 10 percent in body weight can reduce or even eliminate the risk of these health concerns.

Smoking Cessation
Historically, the military has had a reputation as an environment in which tobacco use is accepted and common. Two decades ago, just over half of military personnel on active duty were smokers. In recent years, the Department of Defense (DoD) has increased efforts to reduce tobacco use, and the rate has declined sharply. Despite this improvement, a 2002 survey of active duty service members found the first significant increase in smoking after many years of declining smoking rates.*

Responsible Use of Alcohol
DoD survey findings indicate an increase in average alcohol consumption and the prevalence of heavy alcohol use. The rate of heavy alcohol use is nearly one in five active duty personnel, and binge drinking—consuming five or more drinks
on the same occasion at least once during the past 30 days— rates are highest among young military personnel in some social situations.** Heavy alcohol use and binge drinking are higher among some active duty members than rates of similar civilian age groups.

Healthy Choices for Life Campaign
The goal of the Healthy Choices for Life campaign is to offer information that will help TRICARE beneficiaries make decisions based on healthy choices for themselves and for their families. In addition to other initiatives, TRICARE will feature a regular department, called “Healthy Choices for Life,” in each edition of the TRICARE Health Matters newsletter. Look for future articles about weight management, smoking cessation, the responsible use of alcohol and many other related topics. You can also go online to www.tricare.osd.mil/healthylifestyles for information about initiatives and programs that are available to you and your family.

*, ** Source: DoD Surveys of Health Related Behaviors Among Military Personnel, 1980 to 2002 (2002 Questions: Any Smoking, Q45 and Q47; Heavy Smoking, Q46 Heavy Alcohol Use, Past 30 Days, Q15-Q18 and Q20-Q23 Binge Drank, Q24, and With Whom Drank, Q25).
New Patient Surveys Help Humana Military Serve You Better (Article 2)

How are we doing? We want to hear from you. This month, Humana Military has begun asking you to complete patient surveys.

At just 10 questions, the anonymous surveys are short and should take just a few minutes to complete. You’ll have the opportunity to participate in the survey when you visit the online beneficiary secured services section, when you visit a TRICARE Service Center (TSC), or when you call Humana Military at 1-800-444-5445 (you can use the interactive voice response option to take the survey). The questions are the same for all three venues with the exception of one or two experience-specific questions.

Your responses are expected to go a long way toward improving the delivery of TRICARE services.

“The purpose of the surveys is to measure beneficiaries’ overall patient satisfaction with their TRICARE plan and with the quality of care and services they are receiving,” says Jerri Owen, project specialist, Quality Management and Customer Satisfaction for Humana Military. “We will apply the survey results to improve our service to beneficiaries.”

The survey’s questions focus on:

  • How well your health care needs are being met
  • Your ability to receive treatment in a timely manner
  • If claims are paid appropriately
  • Your satisfaction with your doctor
  • Your understanding of your doctor’s plan for treatment

The surveys also will capture basic demographic information, such as age, status (e.g., active duty, retired), TRICARE program (e.g., TRICARE Prime, Prime Remote) and location. “This information is important as well because it allows us to spot trends and address specific problems,” says Owen.

So, the next time you’re presented with a patient survey, please tell us how we’re doing—we really want to know.

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Last Reviewed:  December 4, 2007