RTTUZYUW RUEWMCS 0562306-UUUU-RUCRNAD
ZNR UUUUU
R 262306Z FEB 10
FM CNO WASHINGTON DC//N1//
TO NAVADMIN
INFO CNO WASHINGTON DC//N1//
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UNCLAS//N06000//
NAVADMIN 072/10
MSGID/GENADMIN/CNO WASHINGTON DC/N1/FEB// 
SUBJ/FAMILYGRAM 01-10: MEDICAL BENEFITS // 
RMKS/1.  THIS NAVADMIN IS THE FIRST IN A SERIES OF MONTHLY 
"FAMILYGRAMS" DESIGNED TO ENHANCE THE PREPAREDNESS AND RESILIENCY OF 
OUR FAMILIES AS THEY FACE THE DAILY CHALLENGES ASSOCIATED WITH THE 
EXPEDITIONARY NATURE OF OUR TOTAL FORCE.  EACH NAVADMIN WILL FOCUS ON A 
DIFFERENT TOPIC, PROVIDING BASIC INFORMATION AND UPDATES TO THE MANY 
BENEFITS AND SUPPORT SERVICES AVAILABLE. 
2.  THIS MONTH'S NAVADMIN HIGHLIGHTS ONE OF THE CORNERSTONE 
ENTITLEMENTS OF MILITARY SERVICE:  MEDICAL BENEFITS FOR MILITARY 
FAMILIES.  
3.  TRICARE BASICS.  TRICARE IS THE DEPARTMENT OF DEFENSE WORLDWIDE 
HEALTH CARE PROGRAM AVAILABLE TO ACTIVE DUTY AND RESERVE PERSONNEL AND 
THEIR FAMILIES.  TRICARE HAS SEVERAL HEALTH PLAN OPTIONS TO MEET 
THE NEEDS OF ITS BENEFICIARY POPULATION.    
4.  DEERS.  THE KEY TO RECEIVING TIMELY AND EFFECTIVE TRICARE BENEFITS 
IS PROPER REGISTRATION IN THE DEFENSE ENROLLMENT ELIGIBILITY REPORTING 
SYSTEM (DEERS).  DEERS IS A WORLDWIDE, COMPUTERIZED DATABASE OF 
UNIFORMED SERVICE MEMBERS (SPONSORS), THEIR FAMLILY MEMBERS, AND OTHERS 
WHO ARE ELIGIBLE FOR MILITARY BENEFITS, INCLUDING TRICARE.
    A.  SPONSOR DATA IS REPORTED TO DEERS BY THE BRANCH OF SERVICE.  
HOWEVER, THE SPONSOR MUST REGISTER ELIGIBLE FAMILY MEMBERS.  
    B.  UNREPORTED CHANGES AND INCONSISTENT DATA IN THE DEERS DATABASE 
CAN CAUSE PROBLEMS WITH TRICARE CLAIMS AND LEAD TO LARGE MEDICAL 
EXPENSES OWED TO TRICARE, SO IT IS CRITICAL TO CONTINUALLY UPDATE DEERS 
INFORMATION.  DEERS INFORMATION SHOULD BE UPDATED IF THERE IS A CHANGE 
IN THE SPONSOR'S STATUS, SUCH AS MARRIAGE OR DIVORCE, BIRTH OF A CHILD, 
RELOCATION TO A NEW AREA, OR DEATH OF SPONSOR OR FAMILY MEMBER.  
ADDITIONALLY, EXPIRED IDENTIFICATION CARDS (ID) COULD AFFECT YOUR 
ABILITY TO BE SEEN BY A PHYSICIAN.  
REVIEWING THE EXPIRATION DATE OF DEPENDENT IDENTIFICATION CARDS MUST BE 
A PART OF EVERY PRE-DEPLOYMENT CHECKLIST.
    C.  DEERS INFORMATION CAN BE VERIFIED BY CONTACTING A REGIONAL 
TRICARE MANAGED CARE SUPPORT CONTRACTOR, LOCAL TRICARE SERVICE CENTER, 
OR THE NEAREST UNIFORMED SERVICES PERSONNEL OFFICE (ID CARD FACILITY).  
SPONSORS OR REGISTERED FAMILY MEMBERS (WITH VALID POWER OF ATTORNEY) 
MAY MAKE CHANGES IN DEERS.  TWO FORMS OF IDENTIFICATION ARE REQUIRED 
PRIOR TO THE ISSUANCE OF ALL ID CARDS.  ALL DOCUMENTS TO DETERMINE 
ELIGIBILITY, SUCH AS A MARRIAGE CERTIFICATE, DIVORCE DECREE, OR BIRTH 
CERTIFICATE MUST BE ORIGINAL OR STATE CERTIFIED COPIES.  
TO UPDATE YOUR DEERS INFORMATION: 
        (1)  VISIT THE LOCAL UNIFORMED SERVICES PERSONNEL OFFICE OR 
CONTACT THE DEFENSE MANPOWER DATA CENTER SUPPORT OFFICE (DSO) AT1-800-
538-9552.  THE NEAREST UNIFORMED SERVICES PERSONNEL OFFICE CAN BE FOUND 
AT HTTP:
//WWW.DMDC.OSD.MIL/RSL/OWA/HOME. 
        (2)  FAX ADDRESS CHANGES TO DEERS AT 1-831-655-8317. 
        (3)  MAIL ADDRESS CHANGES TO:
             THE DEFENSE MANPOWER DATA CENTER SUPPORT OFFICE
             ATTN:  COA
             400 GIGLING ROAD
             SEASIDE, CA 93955-6671
        (4)  GO ONLINE TO TRICARE AT HTTP://TRICARE.OSD.MIL/DEERS.
5.  TRICARE COVERAGE CHOICES.
THERE ARE THREE MAIN COVERAGE CHOICES FOR TRICARE:
   A.  TRICARE PRIME.  TRICARE PRIME IS A MANAGED CARE OPTION OFFERING 
THE MOST AFFORDABLE AND COMPREHENSIVE COVERAGE.  UNDER TRICARE PRIME, 
MILITARY TREATMENT FACILITIES (MTF) ARE THE PRIMARY SOURCE OF HEALTH 
CARE WHERE AVAILABLE.  ACTIVE DUTY MEMBERS ARE REQUIRED TO ENROLL IN 
TRICARE PRIME.  FAMILY MEMBERS MAY CHOOSE TO ENROLL IN PRIME OR 
CONTINUE TO USE TRICARE STANDARD OR TRICARE EXTRA.  UNDER TRICARE PRIME, 
THERE IS NO ENROLLMENT FEE, DEDUCTIBLE OR CO-PAYMENTS FOR ACTIVE DUTY 
MEMBERS OR THEIR FAMILY MEMBERS.  
UPON ENROLLMENT IN TRICARE PRIME, ACTIVE DUTY MEMBERS AND THEIR 
DEPENDENTS ARE ASSIGNED A PRIMARY CARE MANAGER (PCM) WHO PROVIDES MOST 
OF THE CARE.  ACTIVE DUTY MEMBERS ARE ASSIGNED A PCM AT A MTF, WHILE 
FAMILY MEMBERS MAY CHOOSE A PCM EITHER AT A MTF, WHEN CAPACITY PERMITS, 
OR FROM THE TRICARE PRIME NETWORK PROVIDERS.  
TRICARE PRIME OFFERS ENHANCED CLINICAL PREVENTIVE SERVICES, ACCESS TO 
CARE STANDARDS, PRIORITY ACCESS TO CARE AT MTFS, AND A PRIME TRAVEL 
BENEFIT WHEN REFERRED BY A PCM FOR AUTHORIZED PROVIDER SPECIALTY CARE 
AT A LOCATION MORE THAN 100 MILES FROM THE REFERRING PCM.  TRICARE 
PRIME REMOTE IS AVAILABLE TO ACTIVE DUTY MEMBERS AND THEIR FAMILY 
MEMBERS WHO LIVE AND WORK IN REMOTE STATESIDE LOCATIONS. 
    B.  TRICARE STANDARD.  TRICARE STANDARD IS A FEE-FOR-SERVICE OPTION, 
AVAILABLE WORLDWIDE, THAT PROVIDES THE MOST FLEXIBILITY. 
BENEFICIARIES CAN SEE ANY TRICARE APPROVED PROVIDER, NO ENROLLMENT IS 
REQUIRED AND THERE IS NO ANNUAL ENROLLMENT FEE.  ANNUAL DEDUCTIBLES AND 
COST-SHARES APPLY AND BENEFICIARIES ARE RESPONSIBLE FOR ENSURING CLAIMS 
ARE SUBMITTED FOR PAYMENT.  
ACTIVE DUTY MEMBERS MAY NOT USE TRICARE STANDARD AS THEY ARE REQUIRED 
TO ENROLL IN TRICARE PRIME.  
    C.  TRICARE EXTRA.  TRICARE EXTRA IS SIMILAR TO TRICARE STANDARD 
BUT THE COST SHARE IS LESS EXPENSIVE WHEN BENEFICIARIES USE TRICARE 
PRIME NETWORK PROVIDERS.  PRIME NETWORK PROVIDERS FILE CLAIMS ON THE 
BENEFICIARY'S BEHALF.  TRICARE EXTRA IS NOT AVAILABLE OVERSEAS AND MAY 
NOT BE USED BY ACTIVE DUTY MEMBERS.
    D.  TRICARE OVERSEAS PROGRAM-PRIME.  ACTIVE DUTY MEMBERS AND THEIR 
COMMAND-SPONSORED FAMILY MEMBERS WHEN STATIONED OVERSEAS ARE ELIGIBLE 
TO ENROLL IN TRICARE OVERSEAS PROGRAM-PRIME IN AREAS SUPPORTED BY A MTF, 
OR TRICARE GLOBAL REMOTE OVERSEAS IN REMOTE LOCATIONS NOT SUPPORTED BY 
A MTF. 
     E.  MORE INFORMATION AND ASSISTANCE CAN BE FOUND AT: 
HTTP://WWW.TRICARE.MIL AND HTTP://WWW.MILITARY.COM/BENEFITS /TRICARE/ 
UNDERSTANDING-YOUR-TRICARE-BENEFITS.  TO RECEIVE HELPFUL UPDATES 
REGARDING YOUR TRICARE BENEFITS AUTOMATICALLY, GO TO THE TRICARE 
WEBSITE ABOVE AND CLICK "E-MAIL UPDATES" UNDER "MEDIA CENTER" IN THE 
RIGHT COLUMN, THEN CHOOSE THE TRICARE TOPICS ON WHICH YOU DESIRE 
UPDATES.
6.  THE CHALLENGES OF NAVY LIFE WHETHER DEPLOYED OR NOT DEPLOYED EXTEND 
FROM THE SAILOR TO HIS OR HER FAMILY.  WE RECOGNIZE AND TRULY 
APPRECIATE THE SUPPORT AND SACRIFICES OUR FAMILIES MAKE EVERY DAY.
7.  RELEASED BY VADM MARK FERGUSON, N1.//
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