TRICARE (Current Information as of 6 Aug 04)

Under the Department of Defense 2004 Temporary Reserve Health Benefit Program (Section 703 of the National Defense Authorization Act), guard members who are issued delayed-effective-date active duty orders for more than 30 days in support of a contingency operation, will be able to submit claims for reimbursement for medical and dental expenses incurred during their TRICARE eligibility period. During this period of “early” eligibility (up to 60 days prior to reporting to active duty), the member should “save their receipts,” and contact their TRICARE service contractor (TRIWEST for California), and they will be given the forms and process for submitting a reimbursement claim. This temporary benefit will expire in December 2004, unless extended by law. TRICARE is one resource for military members and their families needing medical or behavioral health support for combat stress or critical incident stress management.

Guard members who are called to active duty for more than 30 days are eligible for TRICARE, the same as any active duty servicemember. Their families are also eligible for TRICARE. Some of the TRICARE options offer more choice regarding health care providers and locations, but may incur co-pays and deductibles. Keep in mind the specific health care requirements of you and your family when choosing one of the TRICARE options: TRICARE STANDARD, TRICARE Extra, or TRICARE PRIME. For specifics about each plan, click on the TRICARE PRIME link below.

Guard members who are called to active duty for more than 30 days in support of a contingency operation are eligible for transitional health care benefits when released from active duty for up to 180 days in some cases. Your family members may be also eligible for those benefits. Contact TRIWEST (the California TRICARE contractor) for the specifics of coverage and filing benefit claims.