Hey, my retiree friends, go set up your Tricare Select enrollment fee payment plans now. Right now. Seriously. Starting in 2021, retirees under age 65 who are using Tricare Select and are in Group A (the sponsor entered the military before 1 January 2018) will be required to pay an enrollment fee in the amount… | Read More…
Everything About Tricare Costs and Fees 2021
Tricare can be more confusing than you’d think, especially if you’re used to being treated at Medical Treatment Facilities (MTF) and you start seeing civilian providers. And it doesn’t help that the civilian providers often don’t know what’s going on, and sometimes the contractors (Humana in the East, Health Net Federal Services in the West)… | Read More…
Tricare Open Season: How To Pick The Right Tricare For Your Family
It’s that time of year again: OPEN SEASON. This year’s Tricare Open Season runs from Monday, 9 November 2020 (that’s Monday!) through Monday, 14 December 2020. Be sure to select what Tricare plan you want to use for 2021 during the open season, or you’re stuck with what you had in 2020 unless you have… | Read More…
Legal Documents for Young Adults: What You Need To Have
It’s that time of year! Young adults all over the country are moving on to the next step of their lives. It might be a job, or it might be college. We moved one two weeks ago, I have one moving next week, and another one moving in about a month. This is a good… | Read More…
Retiree Tricare Select Costs to Increase in 2021
The Defense Health Agency has announced the implementation of Congressionally-directed changes to the way that many military retirees, and their families, will pay for their coverage under the Tricare Select program. Effective 1 January 2021, military retirees and families will pay an enrollment fee, similar to a monthly premium, for Tricare Select, if they fall… | Read More…
Should You Take Your Employer’s Health Insurance If You Have Tricare?
A common question for working military spouses and military retirees is, “Should I take my employer’s health insurance, since I have Tricare?” It’s a smart question to ask, but you’ll need some details to find an answer. Understanding How Tricare and Other Health Insurance Work Together In Tricare language, any other health insurance is called… | Read More…
Tricare for Life: Military Medical Benefits When You’re Using Medicare
When you (or your military sponsor) retire from the military, you remain on regular Tricare, either Prime or Select, paying the retired premiums, deductibles, and co-payments. Your regular Tricare coverage ends when you turn 65. Once you turn 65, you are eligible for Tricare for Life, which acts as wrap-around coverage for your Medicare coverage…. | Read More…
Military Retiree Medical: Tricare Prime, Select, or USFHP?
One of the big questions during military retirement is: Which Tricare health care coverage should I choose? Or maybe you’ve been retired for a while, and you’re wondering if the Tricare health plan you’re using is the right one for your situation? Or you’re moving to a new area and need to figure out your… | Read More…
Active Duty Family Tricare Options: Prime, Select, Or US Family Health Plan?
This entire article is for Active Duty family members. For a similar conversation for retirees, see this article. Military families are blessed to have two (or three) different health plans from which to pick. If you’re not familiar with the ins and outs of each plan, it can be hard to pick. Which health care… | Read More…
Kate Rants: Why Is Tricare Still Messed Up?
I’m feeling a little crankly this morning. This whole Tricare open season has me stressed about whether to switch to Tricare Select, and I’ve been spending a ton of time comparing the costs and benefits and trying to figure it all out. Which is ridiculous, because this is already my full-time job and I should… | Read More…