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Stay Eligible:  Keep DEERS Up to Date

Do you remember the last time you checked your Defense Enrollment Eligibility Reporting System (DEERS) information? If the answer is “No,” now is a good time to do it. In addition, if this newsletter was forwarded to you from an old mailing address, chances are your DEERS information is outdated.

As a TRICARE Standard beneficiary, your DEERS information must be correct and current for you to remain eligible for TRICARE. Sponsors (active duty and retired service members) are responsible for making sure their family’s information is always accurately reflected in DEERS.

You should update DEERS as soon as possible when you or a family member experiences a life event that changes your TRICARE status, including:
  • Change of address
  • Relocation to a new area
  • Birth or adoption
  • Change in marital status
  • Change in status from active duty to retired
  • Death of a family member
  • Medicare entitlement, whether due to age, disability or end-stage renal disease
  • Student status for children age 21 and older*
The DEERS database contains information about service members, their families and everyone else who is eligible for military benefits. This information includes:
  • Address and phone number
  • Date of birth
  • Eligibility
  • Family member’s name
  • Sex
  • Social Security number
  • Sponsor’s name
  • TRICARE program plans
Health care providers, such as your doctor or pharmacist, verify your TRICARE eligibility before rendering services or filling prescriptions. If any of your information is incorrect or outdated, you may be denied coverage until it is updated.

To update DEERS:
  • Visit a uniformed services personnel office. To find one near you, go to the RAPIDS Site Locator.
  • Call 1-800-538-9552.
  • Fax address changes to DEERS at 1-831-655-8317.
  • Mail address changes to:
Defense Manpower Data Center Support Office
 400 Gigling Road
 Seaside, CA 93955-6771
*TRICARE covers eligible children until age 21 unless the child is enrolled full time at an accredited institution of higher education and the sponsor provides more than 50 percent of the student’s financial support. TRICARE benefits end when the child reaches age 23 or when full-time student status ends, whichever comes first. If a child is incapacitated prior to age 21 or while a full-time student between the ages of 21 and 23, TRICARE coverage may continue as long as the child is incapacitated, unmarried and dependent upon the sponsor for more than 50 percent of his or her financial support.

      
When Your Child Becomes Ineligible for TRICARE
        

If you have a child who will soon be ineligible for TRICARE due to his or her age, you may want to look into the Continued Health Care Benefit Program (CHCBP) or a commercial (non-military) health insurance plan. You can also pursue a student health plan, which some colleges and universities offer to cover your child while they are enrolled in school.

CHCBP is a premium-based health care program administered by Humana Military Healthcare Services, Inc. and is similar to, but not part of, TRICARE. It gives your child up to 36 months of health care coverage after TRICARE eligibility ends.

The major difference between TRICARE and CHCBP is that you pay a quarterly premium for your child to participate. CHCBP benefits are comparable to TRICARE Standard and use the same providers and program rules.

For more information on CHCBP, go to TRICARE's CHCBP section or the CHCBP portal.
 
 
Last Reviewed: April 3, 2009