Humana Military Begins Delivery of Health Care Services
In Puerto Rico for Active Duty and Active Duty Family Members
May 13, 2004
No. 04-11



Effective May 1, 2004, Humana Military Healthcare Services (HMHS), a subsidiary of Humana Inc. provides health care services and support in Puerto Rico to active duty service members and their eligible family members. The TRICARE Puerto Rico Prime benefit offers a cashless, claimless health care benefit for enrolled active duty and family members serving and residing in Puerto Rico. For beneficiaries enrolled in TRICARE Puerto Rico Prime, there are no copayments for TRICARE-covered services, except for TRICARE retail pharmacy copayments. For additional information on services provided under this new contract or questions, beneficiaries may visit the TRICARE Latin America and Canada (TLAC) Area Office in Puerto Rico or call (787) 865-5913; they may also contact the Humana Military Health Services call center at 1-800-700-7104 between 8:00 a.m. and 6:00 p.m. Monday through Friday, or visit Humana's Web site at www.humana-military.com.

In the coming days, Active Duty sponsors stationed in Puerto Rico should receive a beneficiary handbook from the TLAC Area Office explaining the benefits under TRICARE Puerto Rico Prime Program. In order to enroll in TRICARE Overseas Puerto Rico Prime, sponsors must complete and submit an enrollment form for themselves and their eligible family members. The handbook includes instructions for requesting and submitting an enrollment form. Active duty service members stationed in Puerto Rico, or their eligible family members who do not receive a copy of the handbook, may contact the TLAC Area Office at 1-888-777-8343, option # 3 to request a copy.

"TRICARE Management Activity is committed to the health and welfare of all of our beneficiaries in Puerto Rico," said Rear Admiral Richard A. Mayo, deputy director of TRICARE Management Activity. "By partnering with Humana Military, active duty service members and their families will have access to the high quality of care that they have come to expect through the TRICARE benefit. Additionally, the robust network of highly credentialed providers gives beneficiaries the flexibility to select their provider and access care from a location that's convenient to them."

Under the new contract, active duty service members and their families who are permanently assigned to Puerto Rico have access to routine, urgent and emergency medical care through a network of providers in Puerto Rico. The new contract will cover routine, urgent and emergent dental care for active duty service members. Family members may elect to enroll in the TRICARE Dental Program for dental coverage. The contract also covers urgent and emergency medical and dental care for active duty service members on TAD/TDY, leave, liberty or deployment status in Puerto Rico. Humana will assist members enrolled in TRICARE Puerto Rico Prime with referrals for dental care. Active duty family members who are enrolled in TRICARE Overseas Puerto Rico Prime will receive medical care through Humana and dental care through enrollment in the TRICARE Dental Program.

"The men and women who serve our country can trust that their family-no matter where they are in the world-will be taken care of by the family of military medicine," said Mayo. For additional information on the TRICARE Puerto Rico Prime benefit, beneficiaries may visit Humana's Web site at www.humana-military.com or the TRICARE Web site at www.tricare.osd.mil/puertoricohealthcare/.