CAS3
06-26-05, 10:39 AM
TRICARE Overseas Prime Benefit Enhanced for Certain Active Duty Survivors
June 9, 2005
No. 05-19
Citing the debt of gratitude owed to those who have served the country and made the ultimate sacrifice, Assistant Secretary of Defense for Health Affairs Dr. William Winkenwerder Jr. revised the TRICARE policy for transitional survivors on May 3, 2005. The change allows active duty family members (ADFMs) who are residing outside the continental United States, and who are on accompanied orders at the time of their sponsor's death, to remain eligible for TRICARE Prime benefits overseas during the three-year transitional survivor period.
"It is fitting that policy be changed to provide the same transitional survivor health care benefits as those available in the United States to the family members residing overseas who supported their active duty members and experienced a significant loss," he said in the policy revision memo. The new policy extends TRICARE Overseas Program (TOP) Prime enrollment, including TRICARE Global Remote Overseas and TRICARE Puerto Rico Prime, to command-sponsored beneficiaries already enrolled in those programs.
During the three years following a sponsor's death, surviving spouses and children under 21 years of age (23 years of age if enrolled full-time in an institution of higher learning) remain eligible for many ADFM benefits as transitional survivors. At the end of the transitional survivor period, TRICARE eligibility continues for survivors at the retiree family member status and rates.
Transitional survivors who are not enrolled in TOP Prime will continue to have access to overseas military treatment facility (MTF) appointments on a space-available basis. Transitional survivors enrolled in TOP Prime at an MTF who choose to disenroll and relocate to an overseas site served by an MTF may enroll in TOP Prime at the new location. Those transitional survivors without nearby MTF access will be eligible for benefits under TRICARE Standard at ADFM rates.
Transitional survivors who choose to return to the United States may re-enroll in TRICARE Prime in areas where it is offered. In areas where TRICARE Prime is not offered, they may use TRICARE Extra or Standard at ADFM rates during the three-year period. They are not eligible to enroll in TRICARE Prime Remote for ADFMs upon return to the United States.
More information on TRICARE survivor benefits is available at http://www.tricare.osd.mil/Factsheets/viewfactsheet.cfm?id=324.
June 9, 2005
No. 05-19
Citing the debt of gratitude owed to those who have served the country and made the ultimate sacrifice, Assistant Secretary of Defense for Health Affairs Dr. William Winkenwerder Jr. revised the TRICARE policy for transitional survivors on May 3, 2005. The change allows active duty family members (ADFMs) who are residing outside the continental United States, and who are on accompanied orders at the time of their sponsor's death, to remain eligible for TRICARE Prime benefits overseas during the three-year transitional survivor period.
"It is fitting that policy be changed to provide the same transitional survivor health care benefits as those available in the United States to the family members residing overseas who supported their active duty members and experienced a significant loss," he said in the policy revision memo. The new policy extends TRICARE Overseas Program (TOP) Prime enrollment, including TRICARE Global Remote Overseas and TRICARE Puerto Rico Prime, to command-sponsored beneficiaries already enrolled in those programs.
During the three years following a sponsor's death, surviving spouses and children under 21 years of age (23 years of age if enrolled full-time in an institution of higher learning) remain eligible for many ADFM benefits as transitional survivors. At the end of the transitional survivor period, TRICARE eligibility continues for survivors at the retiree family member status and rates.
Transitional survivors who are not enrolled in TOP Prime will continue to have access to overseas military treatment facility (MTF) appointments on a space-available basis. Transitional survivors enrolled in TOP Prime at an MTF who choose to disenroll and relocate to an overseas site served by an MTF may enroll in TOP Prime at the new location. Those transitional survivors without nearby MTF access will be eligible for benefits under TRICARE Standard at ADFM rates.
Transitional survivors who choose to return to the United States may re-enroll in TRICARE Prime in areas where it is offered. In areas where TRICARE Prime is not offered, they may use TRICARE Extra or Standard at ADFM rates during the three-year period. They are not eligible to enroll in TRICARE Prime Remote for ADFMs upon return to the United States.
More information on TRICARE survivor benefits is available at http://www.tricare.osd.mil/Factsheets/viewfactsheet.cfm?id=324.