Military Families
MrsBalletStar05
member
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How do I switch to Standard?
MrsBalletStar05
member
My husband is overseas and signed us all up for Prime. Except I want my children and I to be on Standard. How do I change that? Do I just call tricare up and ask to switch? Does he have to do something?
Adrian 7.6.07 - ADHD, Disruptive Behavior Disorder, Learning Disability-NOS
Cam 6.6.10 - Autism, Global Developmental Delay, Mixed Receptive/Expressive Communication Disorder
Cam 6.6.10 - Autism, Global Developmental Delay, Mixed Receptive/Expressive Communication Disorder
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Re: How do I switch to Standard?
I personally went into the Tricare office (most bases/clinics have them) and filled out the paperwork. I don't think my husband had to do anything.
Just remember, depending on your husband's rank, if you switch to standard there is a lock out period where you cannot sign back up for Prime. For us it was one year (which is fine, and it has been more than a year since I went on Standard).
Married 6/28/03
Kate ~ 7/3/09 *** Connor ~ 11/11/10
4 miscarriages: 2007, 2009, 2013, 2014
*~*~*~*~*
No more TTC for us. We are done, and at peace, as a family of 4.
"Suffering has been stronger than all other teaching, and has taught me to understand what your heart used to be. I have been bent and broken, but – I hope – into a better shape.” — Charles Dickens
Cam 6.6.10 - Autism, Global Developmental Delay, Mixed Receptive/Expressive Communication Disorder
This, but if you are not near a tri-care office you can print the disenrollment form from the tri-care website and mail or fax it in. Once recieved and processed you are disenrolled from prime. there is no sign up for standard, disenrolling from prime automatically makes you standard.
First, if you have other insurance, TRICARE is always secondary (federal law). So be very careful that TRICARE never pays first, because they will come back for the full amount.
Secondary, as soon as your DH is off f deployment, your no longer eligible for Prime and can only get Reserve Select, which he will have to enroll into (are you sure this isn't what he enrolled you into now-depending on how soon he is getting back).
Yes, I am aware that Tricare is billed 2nd. Unfortunately for us, we've had many, many dr. appointments recently and even one ER trip so I've gotten to know the process and am good friends with that Tricare phone number :-P Actually, most offices already know themselves that it is billed 2nd and tell me before I even say anything. My issue with the prime/standard thing is when it comes to referrals for specialists. We've got a specialist insisting on a referral (even though they're aware its our secondary) and I don't want to go through the hassle of going on the big base, ect. when we've already got our own thing going on with our civilian doctors for my youngest.
While we've been on Tricare Reserve Select before, my husband's civilian job is actually a Federal Technician on his guard base that makes him ineligible for Tricare Reserve Select, so that will not be an option for us when he returns home. From what I've experienced though, Standard and Reserve Select function pretty similarly...I wouldn't be wanting to make any switches if that was the case.By *soon* I mean he'll be home...in the future :-P I didn't want to mention times or dates.
Cam 6.6.10 - Autism, Global Developmental Delay, Mixed Receptive/Expressive Communication Disorder
ooh thanks - anything to avoid that place, LOL! We're not far, but not close either.
Cam 6.6.10 - Autism, Global Developmental Delay, Mixed Receptive/Expressive Communication Disorder
I'm sure you've given it thought, but have you tried just calling your PCM to get the referral over the phone? If you request a specific specialist, they should be able to refer you directly to them and it should process within a couple days. I know for me, the hassle is worth no co-pay.