Federal Employee deploying - insurance/tricare question

MrsBalletStar05

My husband is a reservist and has been employed full-time as a Federal Technician at his guard base since August. We have BCBS insurance and JUST added dental a couple weeks ago.  We also found out recently that he is going to deploy soon.  Now we got a letter in the mail that says because of the impending deployment that we (me and the kids) are automatically covered under Tricare Standard and Tricare Extra.  Great.  Are we able to drop our current insurance because of this?  No?  Are we eligible for dental insurance through Tricare?  Thanks if you know...

julesjarvais65

Tricare doesn't provide dental... Its something you have to pay for to get. Idk the name of it because I'm not on it.

Last year at this time I was uninsured, my dad got a letter saying that as of the 1st of the year (this year), all of his kids would be covered under his insurance due to a new law (idk what that is either lol) until they were like 23, married or unmarried. Well, I got married Dec 28 and so I had Tricare. My dad has BCBS.

With Tricare, if you have a different insurance, that insurance is primary. For example, for you and I, BCBS would be our primary, and whatever they don't pay, Tricare gets the bill for.

I have no idea if you can drop BCBS because of this. I decided not to even look into dropping it because I'm still covered under my dad's dental too which means I won't have to pay for dental.

BLT20051

It depends on your husband's contract agreements.

Ex: My husband is a contractor(I know, not the same, bear with me) and his says if he is on orders less than 30 days, he is mandated to pay into and use his civilian insurance for him and myself. Orders more than 30 days(deployment) he can drop his civilian insurance even though they are "holding" his job for his return. 

His supervisor should know since BCBS deals with Tricare/military all the time. Also, the dental coverage you have to pay for is United Concordia. Y'all are probably enrolled in Tricare standard, which is fine, if you'd like to change to prime(or prime remote) you have to enroll through Tricare. Prime Remote enrollments can not be completed online, you have to send in the form or go to the base if they have a representative. 

MrsBalletStar05

I'm totally cool with being on standard.  I want to keep my doctors and I know they are in network because we used to have tricare reserve select.  not sure if we want to drop BCBS or have 2 insurances, but good to know that we need to list that one as primary. 

BLT20051

MrsBalletStar05:

I'm totally cool with being on standard.  I want to keep my doctors and I know they are in network because we used to have tricare reserve select.  not sure if we want to drop BCBS or have 2 insurances, but good to know that we need to list that one as primary.  Not sure what this "tricare doesn't have dental" stuff is because they certainly do, but I know you must sign up for it separately.  It says right on the site that they have dental and it seems like I should be eligible, but not sure if I am now or when he actually leaves...Whoever my husband spoke with earlier in the month told him some wrong info so I will have to press him to either talk to the " right" person or someone who knows what's really going on.

They do have a dental program but I *believe* it's only for service members(Tricare Dental Program that is) United Concordia is the provider for everything else. Myself, as a SM, I have either been seen on post for dental or told I had to enroll in United Concordia if my post didn't have it. It's a sister program, not technically Tricare. 

As far as primary, I believe if you keep BCBS, that is your primary and Tricare will fill in the gaps. However, when YH is put on orders and considered an AD SM, he has to use Tricare. It's his primary and there's no way around it. 

How long ago were you on TRS? I'm fighting with them because I had it, then got put on orders and switched to prime, for some reason they kept me on TRS and then kicked me off for non-payment. That has been a huge headache and something to keep in mind when switching statuses. 

MrsBalletStar05

Sorry, I was trying to edit my post so as to not sound like a whiner, but my phone was acting up and taking forever and then my fat fingers posted before I was ready, grrr!  Can't wait to get our computer back tomorrow, lol.  But I swear I saw on the site today that beneficiaries of activated service members would be eligible for dental with orders longer than 30 days.  If we have to pay for it fine, but I've always been unde the impression that dental was an option of some sort for families.  

 

 * yeah I have a lot more to read on that site and have no clue apparently.  I'll have to look I to it.  Think we are eligible, but will have to see.  I just have a lot of dental work coming up next month and would like to get as much coverage as I can have

MrsBalletStar05

Ok, got it "tricare" for service members "united Concordia" for families.  I guess I thought they were saying there was no dental at all and that didn't make sense

 

Fwiw the site does say tricare dental program (large bold print) administered by united concordia 

MrsBalletStar05

And again posted before I was done. Ugh, I give up on this phone tonight it is bring difficult!  Don't need to post 34784257 times! :-)

BLT20051

Right. But even sometimes we(the service members) have to use United depending on our location. It's kind of wonky. LOL. I'm Guard so things are a bit different but pretty similar overall so if you have any questions, feel free to page me.