Military Families

Tricare OB question

MH is active duty in Texas.  We've been going to the hospital women's center on base so far for OB appointments, but I haven't been thrilled with them.  I was recently referred off post for an u/s and I LOVED the med center and my u/s tech there, and I want to give birth there. 

If they accept Tricare, can I switch to that med center (assuming they will take me as a new patient, of course), or do you have to go to the hospital on base?

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Re: Tricare OB question

  • Are you standard or prime?
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  • where in Texas?
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  • My guess is you are Prime, which is why you are being seen on base. If that is the case,the only way to be seen off base is to be referred out. Considering you are receiving care, it is highly unlikely you'll be referred out.

    If you are standard, call up the practice and make an appointment. If you are not standard, but wish to be, go to the Tricare office and switch to Standard. Then you can call and make an appointment. 

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  • Yeah prime.  And we're at Ft. Hood.
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  • I had tricare standard/extra when my husband was deployed and went to my regular doctor.
  • We are a Navy family. I think it depends on how close you are to a base. I live in Boulder, and my PCM is in Boulder and referred me to an OB who works in her practice. There is an army base maybe a mile away- my husband has to go there for his PCM but I was allowed to stay local. I would call Tricare, find out if you have to have a PCM at the base, and if you don't, find one where you live and get a referral for an OB.
  • Also, you will give birth wherever your OB delivers. In my case, I have to go to Aurora because that is where the hospital is where my OB delivers (even though there are other hospitals here in Boulder). If your OB is on the base and there is a hospital on base, you will likely deliver there
  • I learned this yesterday while helping a friend of mine get a high risk OB. She is on Prime and was told if you live within a certain distance from base or a military medical facility....you HAVE to see a military doctor and you HAVE to deliver at a military hospital. You don't have a choice when you are on Prime. If you are on standard...you can do what you want. That is why I switched to standard during this pregnancy. I wasn't comfortable being told which doctors and hospitals I needed to deliver at....and even with me being a high risk pregnancy, we have not spent much out of pocket. 
  • If you don't like your doctor and the way he/she practices, you have the right to ask for a second opinion. I frequently disagreed with the piss poor treatment I was getting on base in Alameda and managed to go off base almost every time (and this was when I was active duty). It requires standing your ground and being a bit bitchy but when it comes to prenatal care/delivery, it's certainly worth a shot.
  • If you're prime and there's space at Darnall, you have to be seen there. I had my 2nd at Metroplex because when I got to Hood I was 30 weeks pregnant and they couldn't get me an appointment for several weeks. I talked to patient advocacy and got a referral to see an OB off post. 
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