Q. I'm a retired reservist and plan to retire from my civilian job at age 59. I want to use Tricare Retired Reserve for me and my wife, and expect to pay the high rate until age 60, when we can use regular Tricare for retirees. How do I enroll?

A. There are two basic ways:

1. Online at the Defense Manpower Data Center Reserve Component Tricare application site and selecting "Purchase Coverage" and following the instructions.

2. By fax or mail, by printing out and completing DD Form 2896-1 and mailing it in with your initial premium payment to the Tricare contractor for your region.

All the details can be found here.

Q. I'm an Air Force retiree. My 40-year-old wife is disabled and on a constant feeding tube. She has received skilled nursing care in an approved facility, with Tricare Standard paying, for over two years. But because she was on disability payments for two years, she now must sign up for Medicare Parts A and B and shift to Tricare for Life. Will TFL cover her skilled nursing expenses? I have a letter from the Defense Department's health affairs office stating that her care is "skilled and payable."

A. Her care should be covered, although there are some wrinkles to be aware of.

By law, Tricare is always last payer to all other health insurance, including Medicare. Down the road, if your wife should exhaust her Medicare benefits for skilled nursing facility care, TFL would be in line to become primary payer — but you would need preauthorization from Tricare.

This and other details are spelled out online.

Q. My father has been financially dependent upon me for several years. He lives with me, and I'm the sole financial provider for both him and my daughter. I've been on active orders with the Indiana Army National Guard for three years, and I was recently told that I may be able to add my father to my Tricare coverage. What must I do to make that happen?

A. Dependent parents of active-duty military sponsors are eligible for care only in military hospitals and clinics under the Tricare Plus program, and care is based on the available space and resources of each facility. Dependent parents are not eligible for any other Tricare program.

You can get more information from two sources: the Defense Eligibility Enrollment Reporting system, whose main support office can be reached at 800-538-9552; and the managed-care contractor for the Tricare North region in which you live, Health Net Federal Services, at 877-874-2273.

Email your Tricare questions to tricarehelp@militarytimes.com.

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