Should we marry before or after he retires?
August 27th, 2010 | TriCare Help | Posted by Military Times
Q. My fiancé will be retiring in December from 25 years of service with the Navy. We’re planning to marry summer 2011. Will I be eligible for DEERS or Tricare once he retires and we marry next year? Or should we marry before he retires so I may be eligible for health benefits? This is our second marriage and his former spouse and two dependents will remain covered.
You, and any of your unmarried children under age 21 and living with you, will become legally eligible for Tricare at the moment you are married. That is true whether your fiancé is on active duty or retired. For you to use Tricare, however, your husband must apply with his military personnel section to register and enroll his new family for their military benefits.
The eligibility status of your husband’s former wife and his children (or any of her children whom he legally adopted) will have no effect on your or your children’s Tricare eligibility. Her Tricare eligibility will be carried as a totally separate and unrelated enrollment under her own Social Security number.
I believe his natural and/or adopted children, however, will still be carried as beneficiaries under his Social Security number. In that case, I’m uncertain about the way Tricare maintains the accounts separate and ensures the privacy of each family. I do know that it is done successfully.
The military ID card serves as proof of Tricare coverage for eligible people. See the back of the card for the words “Yes” or No” regarding eligibility for civilian medical care, which is Tricare.
For official information and for answers to any questions about Tricare eligibility and privacy, please contact the DEERS Support Office, toll-free, at 1-800-538-9552. All communications with DEERS are confidential and protected by federal law.
Between now and the time you are married, I strongly suggest that you learn the way Tricare operates, your benefits, your rights, and your obligations. The better you understand the program, the better it will serve you. A matter of primary concern is which Tricare plan to enroll in — Tricare Standard or Tricare Prime (if the latter is available where you live).
You must know that Tricare benefits, covered and noncovered medical services, payment methods and amounts, and the like are all governed by federal law and regulation. It is important that you know and adhere to the rules for using the program to avoid problems.
You need to understand that Tricare cannot pay for any services received from a provider that is not registered as a Tricare-authorized provider, and learn about the importance of Tricare participation versus nonparticipation on the part of an authorized provider.
Learn about the Tricare Pharmacy Program – which is free, automatic, and probably the best in the nation — and the way benefits are coordinated if you have other health insurance. You may also want to explore the Tricare Retiree Dental Plan, which is an excellent commercial dental insurance plan available at group rates to Tricare beneficiaries only.
Tags: DEERS, dependent, marriage, Tricare Prime, Tricare Standard
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