Q. My husband is an Army veteran rated 100 percent disabled. Is purchasing Tricare an option for us instead of purchasing insurance through work?
A. Unless your husband served at least 20 years in uniform and thus qualifies for military retirement benefits, or was given formal medical retirement with full benefits short of 20 years, he and his family are not eligible for health care coverage through the military's Tricare program.
Obviously, your husband is eligible for VA care as a 100 percent disabled veteran. The government care option for you and your son, however, is a program called Civilian Health and Medical Program of the VA, or CHAMPVA. This program is designed specifically to cover the spouse and/or children of veterans rated permanently and totally disabled by a service-connected condition. In many ways, the program is structured like Tricare. There is a small annual deductible, and beneficiaries also must pay co-pays for services received under the program.
Complete information on the CHAMPVA program is available here: www.militarytimes.com/champva.
Q. My boyfriend is an active-duty soldier in Afghanistan. I registered our baby in the Defense Enrollment Eligibility Reporting System, but how do I get an insurance card for her? How do doctors know she is covered under Tricare?
A. There is no such thing as a Tricare "insurance card," as Tricare is not health insurance as that term is commonly understood. Proof of Tricare coverage is usually a military ID card. Dependent children under age 10 normally are not required to have military ID cards; their parents' ID cards are accepted as sufficient proof of coverage. However, ID cards can be issued to younger children in certain circumstances, including yours, when a child is in the custody of a parent or guardian who is not eligible for Tricare in his or her own right.
Contact DEERS for further guidance on getting an ID card for your baby. You can do that by calling the ID Card/DEERS office on your nearest military installation, or the main DEERS support office in California at 800-538-9552.
Q. I am a Navy retiree. I have a 19-year-old stepdaughter who has abruptly moved out of my house. She has no plans to attend college. Does she need to be removed from my Tricare sponsorship?
A. You are not required to remove your stepdaughter from your sponsorship for Tricare coverage under the circumstances you mention, but you are free to remove her if you choose. She technically remains eligible for Tricare under your sponsorship until age 21, as long as you remain married to the girl's mother. (The stepchild of a military sponsor normally loses Tricare eligibility upon the divorce of the military sponsor and the child's biological parent.)
Any such status changes must be reported to the Defense Enrollment Eligibility Reporting System. You can engage DEERS by visiting the ID Card/DEERS office on your nearest military installation of by calling the main DEERS support office in California toll free 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/.
