Community› The Bump Message Boards› Military Families
Military Families
New Discussion

Help Alone and Confused about on base OB (JBAB)

leahmichelle327leahmichelle327 member
in Military Families
Hello-

My husband and I recently found out we are pregnant. :)  But I need advice.  He is stationed out of Marine Barracks Washington DC,so my PCM is out of JBAB.  We just bought a house in Woddbridge so on a good day thats a 45min drive.  That just doesn't seem practical to me.  I keep reading about tricare prime vs standard but I just keep getting more confused.  Some people say I can get a referral for a civilian OB while on Prime but others dismiss that and say to switch to standard.  I also have to go to an orientation, is this where I can discuss getting a referral.  Can I get a referral to switch to a closer base like Belvoir or Quantico?  Does any one have experience with JBAB, Belvoir or Quantico for prenatal and birthing?  Secondly this is my first pregnancy so I know I will have a lot of questions and I want to make sure I am some where that will make me feel comfortable doing that.  Are on base OB like that?  I have experience with my PCM and feel like its a rush to see me, then I have seen 2 different OB and had two different experiences.   
Report Reply to Post

Re: Help Alone and Confused about on base OB (JBAB)

  • leahmichelle327leahmichelle327 member
    Thank You.    
    I just got off the phone with Tricare and they said I can call my PCM and ask her to put in a Global Maternity Auth.  I am going to try that in the morning.  From what the woman said I can go to off base OB as long as tricare approves that.  From reading other posts it may be a long shot but I am thinking positive thoughts and hopefully it will go through and I won't have to sit in a car for hours to see a doc.

    Report Reply
  • HisChamaoleGirlHisChamaoleGirl member
    If you have Fort Belvoir specific questions you can ask me. I just had my first baby there last September and was pleased with my experience. They also offer (FREE) classes before baby is born that you can attend and I really benefited from them. I really liked that the are working on getting their baby friendly certifications.

    BFP #1 11/07/2012 EDD 07/09/2013 M/C 11/22/2012

    BFP #2 02/05/2013 EDD 09/19/2013 Arrived via c-section 09/27/2013

    Lilypie Angel and Memorial tickers

    image 

    Report Reply
  • Loading the player...
  • LyndseylovesHughLyndseylovesHugh member
    edited June 2014
    I switched to standard when I was pregnant with dd and am still on it. I was not a fan of the base hospital where we are stationed and it was 100% the right decision for me to switch. It was an easy phone call, I got to pick the hospital I wanted to deliver at, the midwife I wanted to see (an ob this time around) and it cost me close to nothing out of pocket. When you are pregnant tricare covers everything pregnancy related that your doctor codes as medically necessary with the exception of a small daily fee while you are in recovery after your baby is born ($16ish/day). So for my entire pregnancy and follow-up appointments at 1w and 6w pp, epidural and eventual c-section included, I paid less than $50 out of pocket.

    I personally think it's worth looking into OBs/hospitals near you that take tricare and see if there is a provider that lines up with what you are looking for. Just keep in mind, I believe when you switch to standard you have to stay on it for a certain amount of time (a year I believe) before you can switch back to prime. I'm not positive about that since I have just stayed on standard, but make sure you ask about that.
    Image and video hosting by TinyPic Baby Birthday Ticker Ticker Baby Birthday Ticker Ticker
    Report Reply
  • mysticlmysticl member
    edited June 2014
    I've been on Standard since we got married.  I like being able to pick my provider and not having to get referrals.  Like PP said the majority of pregnancy care is covered.  I had a few labs there were not strictly pregnancy related that I should have had a cost share on however the cost share would have been less than $0.50 so I was never billed because it would cost more to bill me.  I did have a cost share for my flu shot.  

    As for the rest of my medical care I don't find the cost share to be prohibitive.  

    ETA: DS is also on Standard and his routine well visits and vaccines are covered 100%.  We only have cost shares for sick appointments and diagnostic tests.  
    Report Reply
This discussion has been closed.
Choose Another Board
Search Boards
"
"