05 Aug TRICARE for Transitional Service Members
Learn more about Transitional Service Members – Recently Congress has granted the eligibility of up to 180 days for availability for TRICARE benefits
Recently Congress has granted the eligibility of up to 180 days for availability for TRICARE benefits for certain former active-duty officers, Guard members, and Reserve officers. Some programs may still seem redundant due to building several new transitional support options in the past few years. All service branches of TRICARE determine the limited transitional eligibility. To know more regarding eligibility options, please contact your transition office or your nearest service representative. The military also provides TRICARE Continued Health Care Benefit Programs—which may have advantages which are available in order to avoid gaps in your TRICARE medical coverage.
Contact Info:
You can call for more information on TRICARE’s Continued Health Care Benefit Program at 800-444-5445, option 4
You can write: Humana Military Healthcare Services, Inc.
P.O. Box 740072
Louisville, KY 40201
Or visit: www.humanamilitary.com
Continued Health Care Benefits
After losing TRICARE eligibility (i.e., if you have separated from the military), you need access to a safety network which is administered by the military. Those who are not with covered by any other military health care coverage systems at all may also be eligible for temporary enrollment in the Continued Health Care Benefit Program. This is an optional program but it provides coverage for you and your family for 18–36 months after you lose your military health care benefits. Although it is not a part of TRICARE, the Continued Health Care Benefit Program offers similar benefits, as well as operates mostly under the same rules. You should note that you have to enroll in this service within 60 days after being separated from active duty eligibility or you’ll lose your eligibility of getting access to a military healthcare facility. The premium of this coverage is $1,300 per quarter for each individual and $2,925 per quarter for the families but is subject to change.
The Continued Health Care Benefit Program is administrated by Humana Military Healthcare Services, Inc. For more information related to the details of eligibility, an enrollment application form, a detailed available benefits chart, service costs when enrolled, or other information, you can directly call them or write your queries to them. You may also find information regarding the Continued Health Care Benefit Program online.
Transitional Assistance Management Program
If you’re a servicemember on active duty, then the present TRICARE health coverage will continue for you as well as your family members throughout your deployment and afterward. If you’re currently transitioning or out of the military for the following deployment, it is advised to look up information about benefits both for veterans and retiree as well.
If you’re in the Guard or Reserve, you are eligible for the continued TRICARE benefits program for a maximum 180 days or less after returning from the active duty service, under the Deptartment of Defense and Transitional Assistance Management Program (TAMP). You will also need to fulfill one of these requirements stated below:
- Be involuntarily separated from an active duty service under an honorable condition.
- Be a Guard or Reserve member separating from an active duty service who is called up for an active-duty period of 30 days or more, or be a member of his or her family (for details, see the TRICARE Reserve Select section)
- Be separated from active duty service for following the involuntary retention in the support of contingency operations.
- Be separated from active duty service for following the voluntary agreement in order to stay on active duty service for one year or less in the support of contingency operations.
For those members who are qualified, the TAMP period of premium-free 180 days of health care coverage begins upon the separation by the active duty sponsor. While utilizing TAMP, the sponsors and their family members are eligible for enrolling in the TRICARE Prime and the TRICARE Prime Overseas programs. It is also an option to take advantage of TRICARE Standard & Extra as well as TRICARE Standard Overseas. For the answers to any specific questions related to this program, you can contact your regional TRICARE contractor.
More Health Care Programs Designed to Assist Troops in Transition
1. Post-Deployment Health Assessment
If you just returned recently from deployment, then you need to fill out a Post-Deployment Health Assessment, DD Form 2796 to receive services by a health care service provider. This health assessment will be evaluating your present physical health as well as mental health condition and will be focusing on any other health concerns related to deployment.
2. VA Health Care for Combat Veterans
For more details on extended VA health care coverage, especially for the combat veterans, please visit the Veterans health care section.
If you had served in the combat operations as an active duty member after the Gulf War, or in the combat against the hostile forces after November 11, 1998 and you were discharged under any circumstance other than any dishonorable condition, you are eligible for this program. The National Guard and Reserve members, including active duty officers, are eligible for VA healthcare in the case they were ordered by the federal declaration or served for a full period for which they were ordered or called to an active duty for a combat mission and then got separated from the active military services under any circumstance other than dishonorable condition. Active duty Reserve members and Guard members who were activated in any combat mission and then became separated from active duty will receive a Discharge or Release Certificate from Active Duty Authority and DD Form 214 which needs to show as an award of the Armed Forces Expeditionary Medal. For those who are seeking services under the authority, need to bring their provided DD Form 214 while reporting to a VA healthcare facility.
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