Retiree Activities Corner
Tricare and Other Health Insurance
Coordination of benefits between Tricare and other health insurance can be confusing. If a beneficiary has health care coverage through an employer, public or private insurance program (including government programs such as Medicare) he or she is considered to have Other Health Insurance (OHI). Providers and regional health care contractors need to know if you have OHI. The OHI form on the regional health care contractor’s website (www.tricare.mil/contactus) needs to be completed. Tricare is the secondary payer when a beneficiary has OHI. Before Tricare considers the claim, the OHI pays first. Exceptions are Medicaid and Tricare supplemental plans. After OHI payment, Tricare pays what is left up to the Tricare allowable charge. Beneficiaries must submit all claims to Tricare because deductibles may be applied to their annual catastrophic cap. To reduce pharmacy costs, the best option is to use a Tricare retail network pharmacy that is covered by their OHI. After OHI pays, Tricare may reimburse the beneficiary for part or all of their out-of-pocket costs, including copayments. Beneficiaries are not eligible to fill prescriptions via home delivery if they have OHI with a prescription plan, including a Medicare Part D prescription program, unless the medication is not covered by their OHI or they have met their OHI's benefit cap. If the OHI provides only medical coverage, the beneficiary may be eligible to use home delivery as their prescription benefit. Go to www.tricare.mil/mybenefit/home/Prescriptions/OHI for pharmacy questions or contact Express Scripts at 877-363-1303.
New Civilian Retired ID Card
The DoD has established an optional civilian retiree card for those who have retired from any DoD service component or agency. Civilian retirees from other federal agencies are not eligible to receive the card. Some already issue similar ID cards for their retired employees. The DoD card is renewable every four years. Cards are issued by the military ID card offices. For more information, visit www.dmdc.osd.mil.
Use RX Home Delivery and Save
Tricare’s Pharmacy Home Delivery allows beneficiaries to save time and money by mailing maintenance medications safely and securely to their homes. More than 1 million prescriptions were filled through home delivery in each of the last five months of 2010. Home delivery is especially useful for beneficiaries with prescriptions taking maintenance medications. These are used to treat illnesses such as diabetes, asthma and high blood pressure. Beneficiaries in need of immediate relief with a pain medication or antibiotics should have their prescription filled at a military treatment facility or retail network pharmacy. Home delivery also features an automatic prescription refill option to ensure beneficiaries are always supplied with the medications they need. A phone line is available 24/7 to speak to a pharmacist. Tricare retail network pharmacies fill prescriptions with a 30-day supply. Home delivery fills prescriptions for the same copayment, but for 90 days. Home delivery costs $3 for a 90-day supply of generic formulary medications and $9 for a 90-day supply for brand-name medications. To sign up for pharmacy home delivery, go to www.tricare.mil/homedelivery or call the Member Choice Center toll free at 1-877-363-1343.
The Retiree Activities Office is open from 10 a.m.-3 p.m. Monday-Friday. Visit our office at Colorado and D Street, call us at 301-981-2726, or email us at raoandrews.af.mil. Calling the office prior to visiting is recommended to ensure someone is on duty. The RAO also has a website at www.andrews.af.mil, click on "Retirees" on the right side of the page. There you will find a wealth of information that might be of interest to you. Copies of "Retiree Activities Corner" articles are online as well. Go to the retirees webpage and find information under the heading "Newspaper Column."