Retiree Activities Corner

Misuse of Prescriptions

Prescription drug misuse is a leading cause of accidental death in the United States. The proper disposal of unwanted, unused or expired medications may help change this. According to the Drug Enforcement Ag-ency, excess medications left at home are highly susceptible to accidental ingestion, misuse and abuse. The Partnership for a Drug Free America reports that approximately 2,500 teens use prescription drugs each day to get high for the first time. Studies also show that a majority of prescription drug abusers obtain these drugs from family and friends and their own home medicine cabinet. Improper disposal, such as throwing medication in the garbage, may also lead to environmental contamination and unsafe drinking water. The U.S. Food and Drug Administration suggests these steps for safely disposing of most unused or unwanted medications: do not crush pills or capsules when you throw them away; instead, mix medications with an unpalatable substance, like kitty litter or used coffee grounds, seal the mixture in a plastic bag and throw in the trash. The proper disposal of unused prescription medications may be a hassle, but the safety and health of your family and community could be at stake. Make the effort to keep potentially dangerous medications out of the hands of people who might abuse them and out of our drinking water.

Retiree Dental Program

The Tricare Retiree Dental Program is available to all military retirees (including gray-area retirees), their eligible family members and unremarried surviving spouses and their eligible children. The program covers cleanings, exams, fillings, root canals, gum surgery, oral surgery and dental accidents on the first day that coverage becomes effective; after 12 months in the program, it then covers crowns, bridges, partials, braces and dental implants. New retirees who enroll within four months after military retirement or transfer to Retired Reserve status are eligible to waive the 12-month waiting period for major services. The Enhanced TRDP provides an annual maximum of $1,200 per person ($1,000 for Basic Program enrollees), a $1,000 annual maximum for dental accidents and a $1,500 lifetime maximum for orthodontics. Payments for preventive and diagnostic services do not count against the annual maximum. For more information, visit http://www.trdp.org or call 1-888-838-8737.