Q. My husband has been in the Army Reserve for 11 years, and deployed to Afghanistan last year. We are now on our 180 days of post-active duty coverage under the Transition Assistance Management Program. However, while overseas, he suffered major hearing loss, has post-traumatic stress, and injured his shoulder badly enough to probably require surgery. If he is medically retired, will we still be eligible for any kind of Tricare coverage? I know he'd qualify for VA care, but I'm wondering about dependents.
A. Any service members who receive formal military medical retirement short of the 20 years normally required to qualify for military retirement benefits are eligible for all those benefits just as if they had, in fact, served 20 years. Their spouses and children also are eligible for Tricare (spouses for the duration of the marriage, possibly beyond; children until age 21, 23 or 26, depending on the Tricare option).
Your husband should contact the Defense Eligibility Enrollment Reporting System, the Defense Department's eligibility portal for benefits, to make sure the information in his file on you and your children is current and accurate. He can do that by visiting the ID Card/DEERS office on any military installation. You can also get general information from the main DEERS support office in California at 800-538-9552.
Email tricarehelp@militarytimes.com. Include the word "Tricare" in the subject line and do not attach files. Get Tricare advice any time at http://blogs.militarytimes.com/tricarehelp/.
