24 Feb Healthcare During Transition
Those eligible for TRICARE can continue to receive benefits for up to 180 days following active-duty status. In addition, there are programs available to ensure that transitioning from active-duty service does not result in a coverage gap for service members or their families.
Transitional Assistance Management Program
Service members who are leaving active-duty status under honorable conditions and National Guard or Reserve members who are returning from active-duty are eligible to retain their TRICARE benefits for up to 180 days under the Transitional Assistance Management Program, or “TAMP”.
The period of eligibility begins the day that active-duty ends, and allows sponsors and family members to enroll in TRICARE Prime, TRICARE Prime Overseas, TRICARE Standard, TRICARE Standard Overseas, and TRICARE Extra.
TAMP eligibility is documented on DEERS and can be verified through the personnel office of the service member’s branch of service.
Continued Health Care Benefit Program
The Continued Health Care Benefit Program, or “CHCBP”, is similar to civilian COBRA coverage in that it allows those who are no longer eligible for TRICARE to temporarily continue to receive military-based health benefits under the same guidelines.
To be eligible for CHCBP, service members must enroll within 60 days of the end of active-duty status. For TRICARE Reserve Select, TRICARE Young Adult, and TRICARE Retired Reserve, service members must enroll at least one day before the end of TRICARE eligibility.
CHCBP provides the same coverage as TRICARE Standard for up to 18 months for service members and for up to 36 months for dependents and unremarried former spouses.
NOTE: CHCBP coverage can be sought to ensure continuous health care coverage following the 180-day Transitional Assistance Management Program eligibility period.
Use DD Form 2837, “Continued Health Care Benefit Program Enrollment Application”, to begin the process of enrolling for CHCBP. It is available at https://tricare.mil/~/media/Files/TRICARE/Forms/CHCBP_Enrollment_Form.pdf
For details about eligibility, length of coverage, and associated costs, visit go.usa.gov/2P5F for the CHCBP brochure.
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