Active Duty
and Family Members
Under a new contract, May 1, 2004, active duty service members
will be able to enroll in TRICARE Overseas Prime, providing
a cashless, claimless system for routine, urgent and emergency
medical and dental services. Eligible Active Duty Family Members
who are accompanied on orders with their sponsors may enroll
in the same benefit; however, they must continue to purchase
dental services under the TRICARE Dental Program. For more
information on this benefit, please read the news
release. More details will follow as they become available.
Following closure of Naval Hospital Roosevelt Roads on Jan.
31, 2004, active duty service members and their families may
visit the medical aid station for routine, urgent and emergency
care 24 hours a day, 7 days a week. Beginning March 15, the
Medical Unit will provide sick call service for Active Duty
and Active Duty Family Members Monday-Friday, from 0730-1600.
Beneficiaries may call after hours; however, if active duty
sponsors and/or family members have an immediate need after
hours, they should go to the closest civilian emergency room.
Your family members can arrange care with an external TRICARE
network provider. For more information, please visit the
TRICARE Service Center
or call (787) 865-5913. For regional information, please
visit the regional
information summary table.
Beneficiaries can also get access to care at Fort Buchanan.
It services active duty military and eligible family members
between 0700 and 1600, Monday to Friday.
TRICARE Awards Contract for Health Care Services
in Puerto Rico
Feb. 27, 2004
No. 04-06
Dr. William Winkenwerder, Jr., assistant secretary of defense
for health affairs, announced today’s award of the TRICARE
Health Care Services for Puerto Rico contract to Humana Military
Healthcare Services, Inc., of Louisville, Ky. The contract
will provide ongoing health care services and support through
enrollment in TRICARE Overseas Program Prime in Puerto Rico
for active duty service members and their families located
in the Commonwealth of Puerto Rico. Since the Roosevelt Roads
Naval Base and Naval Hospital Roosevelt Roads closed, TRICARE
Management Activity has been working to advise beneficiaries
of their health care options.
"This contract is designed to provide all of our active
duty members and their families with continuous access to
health care services," said Winkenwerder. "We are
sensitive to the needs of our beneficiaries in Puerto Rico
and we will work closely with the new contractor to ensure
that civilian providers meet TRICARE’s high standards for
timely, quality care."
The contract is valued at $9,187,660 and includes a two-month
base period, three one-year option periods and one nine-month
option period. Delivery of health care services is scheduled
to begin May 1, 2004.
Beginning May 1, 2004, active duty service members are eligible
to receive routine, urgent and emergency medical and dental
services under the new contract on a cashless, claimless basis.
Active duty family members may also receive routine, urgent
and emergency medical services under the new contract on a
cashless, claimless basis; however, their dental services
will continue to be provided by the TRICARE Dental Program.
Medical records will be automatically transferred to the active
duty member and/or family member’s provider once the new contract
is implemented.
During the transition, the Navy will provide sick call services
to active duty sponsors and their family members for routine,
urgent and emergency care. Beneficiaries may call after hours;
however, if active duty sponsors and/or family members have
an immediate need after hours, they should go to an emergency
room.
"We will continue to support our beneficiaries throughout
the transition by providing them with the information they
need to understand and utilize their health care benefits,"
Winkenwerder said. "Beneficiaries will receive information
about enrollment choices, primary care manager selections
and the availability of specialists."
