Take Control of Your Health with TRICARE Standards
Freedom to Choose What’s Best for You and Your Family
Welcome to the 2008 edition of TRICARE Standard Health Matters, your source for news and reviews to help you make the most of your TRICARE Standard benefit.
TRICARE is committed to providing high quality, cost-effective program options to meet your health care needs. This edition of Health Matters provides a wealth of information to help you become more knowledgeable and take a more active role in your own health care and that of your family.
Staying Eligible
When it comes to your TRICARE benefits, your first responsibility is making sure you and your family remain eligible for TRICARE. And that means keeping your information up to date in the Defense Enrollment Eligibility Reporting System (DEERS). “ Stay Eligible for TRICARE: Keep DEERS Up to Date” provides more information on eligibility and DEERS. And if you’re going to be eligible for Medicare soon, there are some things you need to do to stay TRICARE-eligible (see “ From TRICARE Standard to TRICARE For Life ”).
Getting Care
Using TRICARE Standard is easy. There are no enrollment fees or forms to fill out. There are no special rules for accessing care and referrals are not required. Simply visit any TRICARE-authorized facility, hospital or doctor whenever you need urgent, routine, specialty or preventive care.
However, the type of provider you see impacts your out-of-pocket costs and whether you need to file a claim (see “ TRICARE Reference Room: TRICARE Provider Types”). And even though you never need a referral, you may need to get prior authorization for certain services in order to be reimbursed by TRICARE (see “ Referral and Prior Authorization Requirements” for details).
Need to file a claim? We review that process. We also explain how TRICARE Standard works with other health insurance plans.
In addition to outstanding medical coverage, TRICARE offers world-class pharmacy and dental benefits with a number of flexible options for you and your family. Read all about them.
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