The TRICARE Blog - Don’t Forget About DEERS

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Thursday, April 16, 2009 - Don’t Forget About DEERS
Posted by: Major General Elder Granger

Keeping all of your family’s information up-to-date in the Defense Enrollment Eligibility Reporting System (DEERS) is essential for maintaining your TRICARE benefit coverage. Updating your information is simple, and in this blog you’ll find the necessary resources to help you avoid the unnecessary headache of losing your TRICARE coverage. The last thing I want is for you to experience a lapse in coverage because your information in DEERS was not updated. Remember, while keeping DEERS current is simple, it is ultimately your responsibility, so please take a look at the following information.

What is DEERS?

DEERS is a worldwide, computerized database of uniformed services members (sponsors), their family members and others who are eligible for military benefits. TRICARE uses the information in DEERS to verify TRICARE eligibility. For an overview on DEERS, visit TRICARE’s eligibility Web page.

When do I update DEERS?

Any time you or your family experiences a life-changing event, remember to update DEERS. Keeping your information updated will prevent you from losing your health care eligibility. Examples include:

Retiring or separating from active duty
Activating or deactivating from National Guard or Reserve
Changing your service status (enlisting to officer, changing branch, etc.)
Getting married or divorced
Having a baby or adopting a child
Moving
Becoming eligible for Medicare (sponsor or family member)
Losing a family member

How do I update my information?

Simple. There are a number of ways to update your information:

In Person
To add or remove family members, visit a local ID card office. You can search for an office near you by ZIP code, city, state or country by visiting the ID card office locator. Call the office first to verify address and business hours.
By Phone
Call the Defense Manpower Data Center Support Office at 1-800-538-9552 to update your home address, e-mail and phone numbers. (TTY/TDD for the deaf: 1-866-363-2883)
By Fax
Fax home address, e-mail or phone number changes to the Defense Manpower Data Center Support Office at 1-831-655-8317.
By Mail
Mail changes to the Defense Manpower Data Center Support Office. You must include supporting documentation if you are updating a family member's status:

Defense Manpower Data Center Support Office
Attn: Change of Address
400 Gigling Road
Seaside, CA 93955-6771

Online
You have two options for updating personal information online:

1. Visit the DEERS Web site and follow the steps to update your home address, e-mail and phone numbers online.

2. Via the Beneficiary Web Enrollment Web site. The site is linked directly to the DEERS database, so when you make changes, it updates your information in DEERS and with your regional contractor.

Oh No! I’m not eligible in DEERS. What do I do?

If you find that you are not eligible in DEERS, contact the Defense Manpower Data Center Support Office at 1-800-538-9552.

Remember that your eligibility is ultimately determined by your branch of service. For questions about your eligibility requirements, contact your service representative. Once your eligibility is established, maintaining your information in DEERS is up to you.

I urge all of you to keep DEERS current and your health care running smoothly. As always, please let me know how DEERS and TRICARE are working for you.

Rating:

Posted at 2009-04-16 11:59:46 in Current Events| Permalink | Comments 33

Comments are now closed. Thank you for your participation.

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Comments (33)

rONALD at 2009-04-16 14:16:32 wrote:

I recently received my Medicare card. Can I update this information with DEERS on my computer? I sent bill to Express Scripts and they stated that patient not covered on date of service. Could this be because of recent coverage by Medicare?

Major General Elder Granger at 2009-04-22 11:13:30 wrote:

Thank you for your question. Anytime you have a life changing event such as
retiring from the active duty or you or a family member becomes eligible for
Medicare, you must update your status in DEERS.

You may use your computer to update DEERS by:

- Visiting the DEERS Web site: https://www.dmdc.osd.mil/, or

- Visiting the Beneficiary Web Enrollment (BWE) Web site:
https://www.dmdc.osd.mil/appj/bwe/indexAction.do

Because the BWE Web site is directly linked to the DEERS database, your
updated information will also be sent to your regional contractor.

In addition to updating DEERS online, you can update your record in person, by telephone, by fax, and by mail. For more details, please refer to my blog entry above.

David at 2009-04-16 21:40:59 wrote:

TFL - We have been getting SUPERIOR TFL service.
TFL is doing an absolutely great job.
Thank you.

Orville at 2009-04-17 00:20:26 wrote:

TRICARE FOR LIFE IS FANTASTIC. WE USE EXPRESS SCRIPTS FOR OUR PRESCRIPTIONS, ALSO WE HAVE NEVER HAD TO PAY OUT OF POCKET EXPENSES AT THE HOSPITAL.

charles at 2009-04-17 10:33:39 wrote:

i am glad that VA and DOD is working together to improve the wellness of veterans and active service member it can make easy for
both active and veterans to get the help we need;if i fall to homeless
i know i can get help from my federal government.

Richard at 2009-04-19 14:30:07 wrote:

When attempting to log on to the Beneficiary Web Enrollment Web site I rec'd an error message stating that "There is a problem with this website's security certificate." Consequently, I would not continue to access this site.

Major General Elder Granger at 2009-04-21 12:12:15 wrote:

Thanks for writing and letting us know about your problem. For technical
assistance with the Beneficiary Web Enrollment Web site, please call
1-800-477-8227.

Edwin at 2009-04-20 14:08:40 wrote:

Dear Major General,
I am thinking of retiring in the Philippines at the end of the year and I heard that there will be a a TRICARE POC at the US embassy in the Philippines. Who and what is the contact number of this person or email so I can direct my future concerns and questions.

Major General Elder Granger at 2009-04-28 12:51:26 wrote:

Thank you for your question. The TRICARE Area Office in the Pacific region, in collaboration with military treatment facility commanders, is responsible for the development and execution of an integrated plan for the delivery of healthcare in the Philippines. For detailed information on who to contact and how to access care in the Philippines, please visit: http://www.tricare.mil/tma/pacific/pacificCarePhilippines.aspx.

Also, please be sure to read my earlier blog, "TRICARE Safeguards Quality Health Care in the Philippines" at http://www.health.mil/TMABlog/Article.aspx?ID=335 for more detail.

Thank you again for writing. I trust you will find this information useful.

Nita at 2009-04-20 14:25:20 wrote:

Need to know if TRICARE FOR LIFE COVERS COST (OR PARTIAL COST) OF HEARING AID> I AM WIDOW OF AF VET - AND AM COVERED UNDER MEDICARE(PRIMARY) AND TRICARE FOR LIFE (SECONDARY)-I NOW HAVE NEXT TO ZERO HEARING IN L. EAR & RECENT AUDIO EXAM REVEALS DETERIORATING HEARING IN RT EAR.....NEED A HEARING AID (COST $1500)-WHICH I CANNOT AFFORD....BUT NEED...IS THERE ANY FUNDING-OR REIMBURSEMENT OR PAYMENT FOR HEARING AID UNDER TRICARE FOR LIFE PROGRAM???
THANKS FOR YOUR HELP ON THIS

Major General Elder Granger at 2009-04-23 09:34:11 wrote:

Thank you for your question. Unfortunately, TRICARE covers hearing aids
only for active duty family members who meet specific hearing loss
requirements. For more information on what TRICARE covers, visit
http://www.tricare.mil/mybenefit/home/Medical/IsItCovered.jsp or for
information on TRICARE For Life, visit
http://www.tricare.mil/mybenefit/home/overview/Plans/ForLife

Laura at 2009-04-23 22:17:11 wrote:

I am looking for Pedtrician in VA that accepts TRICARE Prime and that deal with babies born at 32 weeks. I am also looking what there creditals are. My daughter will be four years old and has childhood asthma.

Major General Elder Granger at 2009-04-24 16:17:28 wrote:

Thank you for your inquiry about how to find the right provider for your
daughter's needs. As you know, TRICARE Prime requires that you select or are
assigned a primary care manager (PCM). Your daughter's PCM may either be
your local military treatment facility (MTF) or a network provider. Your
daughter's PCM will provide most of her care or refer her to a specialist
for services/care he or she cannot provide.

You should have received a letter from your regional contractor, Health Net
Federal Services, identifying your daughter's PCM along with the PCM's name
and phone number. If you have not received this letter, please contact
Health Net at 1-877-TRICARE (1-877-874-2273) or online at
http://www.healthnetfederalservices.com.

To learn more about finding the right provider, please visit
http://tricare.mil/mybenefit/home/Medical/FindingAProvider.

You may also want to check my blog, Kicking Off Children's Health Month
at http://www.health.mil/TMABlog/Article.aspx?ID=376 for more information.

Thank you again for your inquiry. I trust you will find this information
helpful.

Yvonne at 2009-04-24 00:10:31 wrote:

I have a really big concern and complaint. I recently had a baby and my retired husband went to the local base to update DEERS. He was told that once he did that, it would automatically transfer to TRICARE for coverage. What he wasn't told and what also appears to be missing from the above blog is that the automatic coverage is Standard and you have to actually enroll with TRICARE for Prime coverage. We are now in a situation that we owe extra money for services and cannot enroll our child for another five weeks. When my husband called TRICARE and DEERS he was told by representatives at both places that this is a continual problem. My question would be then why hasn't it been solved yet? There is an obvious disconnect somewhere and it needs to be addressed. I would very much like to speak to someone, preferably Major General Elder Granger, about my personal situation. Thank You.

cres at 2009-04-24 16:58:12 wrote:

I am looking for local medical provider.

Major General Elder Granger at 2009-05-04 09:54:46 wrote:

Thank you for your inquiry. The best way to begin searching for a provider in your area is to visit http://tricare.mil/mybenefit/.

There you will be able to enter your beneficiary category, country, zip code and select your specific TRICARE plan. Entering this information will allow you to see what types of providers are available in your area.

You can also find a provider at http://tricare.mil/mybenefit/home/Medical/FindingAProvider?

You may also contact your regional contractor, TriWest Healthcare Alliance at 1-888-TRIWEST (874-9378) or visit its Web site at http://www.triwest.com/ for assistance.

Christopher at 2009-04-25 21:41:36 wrote:

Am I able to add family members to coverage via DEERS website, or do I have to complete that update in person?

Major General Elder Granger at 2009-05-04 12:23:02 wrote:

Thank you for your question. In order to add your family members, you must go to a local ID card office for assistance. To find an office near you, please visit the RAPIDS Site Locator at http://www.dmdc.osd.mil/rsl/owa/home.

This site allows you to search according to ZIP code, city, state or country. Once you've located the office nearest you, be sure to call to verify the address and business hours before visiting.

For more information, please visit http://www.tricare.mil/mybenefit/home/overview/Eligibility/DEERS/Updating?.

knz at 2009-04-27 01:37:55 wrote:

I need to know if my spouse's service connected disbility will make me eligible for Tricare. I used to have my own health insurance through my employer but amd now unemployed.

Major General Elder Granger at 2009-05-04 12:27:53 wrote:

Thank you for your inquiry. I regret that your spouse was injured while on active duty and that you are currently unemployed. Your access to care will differ depending on your spouse's military status. To obtain the most accurate information about your spouse's status, please visit http://tricare.mil/mybenefit/home/LifeEvents/InjuredActiveDuty and enter some details about yourself.

TRICARE is available to active duty service members and retirees of the seven uniformed services, their family members, survivors and others who are registered in the Defense Enrollment Eligibility Reporting System (DEERS).

TRICARE eligibility is also extended to members of the National Guard and Reserves and their families.

To learn more about TRICARE eligibility, please visit http://tricare.mil/mybenefit/home/overview/Eligibility.

Jill at 2009-05-08 05:26:21 wrote:

My husband is in the Army National Guard, and is getting ready to deploy. I have read about the PRE-DEPLOYMENT TRICARE coverage available, but when I call I'm told we are not eligible yet (it is 90 days out already) and I get the run-around. What could be causing such a problem? WE NEED the coverage before he leaves. Thanks so much for your help.

Major General Elder Granger at 2009-05-11 16:04:45 wrote:

Thank you for writing. National Guard and Reserve members who are issued delayed-effective-date active duty orders for more than 30 days in support of a contingency operation may qualify for "early eligibility for TRICARE" beginning on the later of: (a) the date their orders were issued; or (b) 90 days before they report to active duty.

National Guard and Reserve members who qualify for the pre-activation benefit are covered as "active duty service members" and receive active duty medical and dental benefits. Additionally, when National Guard or Reserve members qualify for pre-activation benefits, family members who are registered in the Defense Enrollment Eligibility Reporting System are also covered under TRICARE up to 90 days before the sponsor's active duty service begins. Family members become covered by TRICARE as "active duty family members during the pre-activation period and while the sponsor is activated.

Ultimately, your husband's Service personnel office will inform him whether or not he and your family are eligible for pre-activation benefits when he receives his delayed-effective-date active duty orders.

For more information about pre-activation benefit, visit http://tricare.mil/mybenefit/home/overview/SpecialPrograms/PreActBenefitNGR?

Thank you again. I trust you will find this information useful.

David at 2009-05-12 10:17:53 wrote:

I would be great if we could talk to the people how handle DEERS issues, or at less let your owN people at the service desk have the ability to reachout to provide additional information as needed.

I've had an issue tied up in the system that has prevented me from getting enrolled in TRICARE Prime. My former wife of 28 years is enrolled separately, my honorable service of 29 years overlapped with our marriage and she is fully eligible for TRICARE Prime. However, I, the servicemember, have been penalized and not allowed to enroll in TRICARE Prime due to this never-ending issue. I have not been able to talk with anyone who has any authority about this matter. And TRICARE Prime has had my payment. Please help.

Major General Elder Granger at 2009-05-13 14:18:30 wrote:

Thank you for writing. I regret the difficulty you've been having.

To check that your DEERS record is accurate, contact the Defense Manpower Data Center Support Office at 1-800-538-9552 or https://www.dmdc.osd.mil/appj/address/indexAction.do.

You can learn more about eligibility at http://tricare.mil/mybenefit/home/overview/Eligibility?

To learn more about TRICARE Prime, TRICARE Standard, TRICARE For Life, and other TRICARE plans, visit http://tricare.mil/mybenefit/home/overview/Plans?

If you are still having problems, you can also contact Humana Military Healthcare Services, the contractor for the South at 1-800-444-5445 or http://www.humana-military.com.

Or the TRICARE Region Office-South at 1-800-554-2397 or visit http://tricare.mil/trosouth/default.cfm

Thank you for writing. I trust you will find this information useful.

marion at 2009-05-16 11:14:43 wrote:

medicare has informed me that my tricare for life enrollment has been cancelled. can you tell me why?

TRICARE Blog Team at 2009-05-18 16:27:35 wrote:

Thank you for your question. You do not have to enroll in TRICARE For Life (TFL). To use TFL, you need to have Medicare Parts A and B. As soon as your Medicare Part A and Part B entitlement is registered in the Defense Enrollment Eligibility Reporting System (DEERS), your record will show that you are “eligible for TRICARE For Life.”

For more information about TRICARE For Life and its requirements, please call 1-866-773-0404 or visit http://tricare.mil/mybenefit/home/overview/Plans/ForLife?

To learn how TFL and Medicare work together, visit http://tricare.mil/mybenefit/home/overview/Plans/ForLife/Medicare?CFID=99366422&CFTOKEN=30287713

For information about checking DEERS, call 1-800-538-9552 or visit https://www.dmdc.osd.mil/appj/address/indexAction.do;jsessionid=97b2eefff7df97b7d5658efdfbd6441b38a3cccc78e7f0f75d8a011b2020c5e3

Dennis at 2009-05-18 18:00:41 wrote:

I think my spouse's TRICARE Prime quarterly premium is due but I can't find my last check payment to know when it's due next. HOW CAN I FIND OUT WHEN NEXT TRICARE PREMIUM PAYMENT IS DUE? PLS ADVISE, SOONEST. TKS!

TRICARE Blog Team at 2009-05-19 11:14:20 wrote:

Thank you for your question. Please contact Humana Military Healthcare Services, TRICARE's regional contractor for the South at 1-800-444-5445 or http://www.humana-military.com. Thank you again for writing. We trust you will find this information useful.

Richard at 2009-05-26 21:01:58 wrote:

Major General Elder Granger wrote, "Remember, while keeping DEERS current is simple, it is ultimately your responsibility, so please take a look at the following information."

I also believe this is a two way street. I turn 65 this summer and in April I received a 6 page letter about Medicare Part B and TRICARE. This is good and I have now taken the steps needed to enroll in Medicare. If the Manpower Data Center can do this, why can't they send a letter that says you need to do a compete re-enrollment of your incapacitated daughter before her ID and DEERS enrollment expires? I should have been notified of this some 4 months ago. I went to renew her ID today and was refused by the system for a renewal or even a 90 day temporary and given a Dependency Determination Packet instead. As best I can tell she will be off DEERS until I can complete all the paperwork and have it float through the system for the next 2 plus months. What about her medical needs during that time?

TRICARE Blog Team at 2009-05-29 10:48:48 wrote:

Thank you for your question. We regret any difficulty you’ve have experienced and appreciate the opportunity to address your concerns.
Eligibility for benefits is not determined by TRICARE, but rather by the uniformed services and reported to the Defense Enrollment Eligibility Reporting System (DEERS).

The letters you’ve received were issued by Defense Manpower Data Center Support Office (DMDC). But your daughter's incapacitation dependency status is determined by the Defense Finance and Accounting Service (DFAS).

More information on dependency determination is available at http://www.snrproject.com/course.html?classID=1&courseID=1&chapterID=8§ionID=47.

Permanently incapacitated children are now authorized to receive an indefinite ID card, which is possibly why the dependency determination is being requested. To obtain an indefinite ID card for your daughter, visit an ID card office. For additional locations near you, visit http://www.dmdc.osd.mil/rsl/owa/home.

Regarding your daughter obtaining medical care while waiting for an indefinite ID card, under AFI 36-3026(I), Chapter 2, Table 2.4 the "issuance of a temporary card (up to 90 days) is permitted for permanently incapacitated renewal applicants if expiration of the ID card would interrupt medical care." We recommend getting the temporary ID card and working with your branch of service and DFAS to restore your daughter's eligibility in DEERS.

Thank you again for writing. We trust you will find this information useful.

john at 2009-06-05 11:56:53 wrote:

I am about to use TRICARE for the 1st time - my concern/question. I live in Japan (TRICARE Pacific) but have being referred to a TriWest (Hawaii) net-provider for treatment. The provider will submit the claim. Who do I pay the cost share or deductible?

TRICARE Blog Team at 2009-06-05 14:04:00 wrote:

Thank you writing in to the TRICARE Blog. Any applicable cost-shares and deductibles should be paid to your provider. To learn more about using TRICARE overseas, visit http://tricare.mil/mybenefit/ProfileFilter.do?&puri=%2Fhome%2Foverview%2FRegions%2FRegionsNonUS%2FPacific. Thank you again for your inquiry. We trust you will find this information useful.

bill at 2009-06-18 21:07:34 wrote:

this is no good we dont need TRICARE this program was not in my contract when i went into the military 1973 i should have free care but a PRESIDENT NO NAMES BUT A REP CUT OUT A LOT OF MILITARY HOSP AND CLOSED A LOT OF BASES MADE MOST HOSP INTO JUST CLINC

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