Tricare Health Plan: Benefits, Drawbacks & Eligibility

Tricare is a health care program that covers active-duty members of the U.S. military, National Guard and reserve members, survivors, retirees, their families and certain former spouses. As with any health plan, Tricare has its advantages and disadvantages.

Advantages

• Advantages of the Tricare Standard health care program include a broad choice of care providers, no enrollment fee, wide availability and the option of using the Tricare Extra program, which allows the insured to select any physician, in or out of network. Tricare offers the services of military health care and provides supplemental services from civilian health care networks and pharmacies.

Disadvantages

• Tricare Standard disadvantages include requiring beneficiaries to prepare and file their own claims, lack of a primary care manager and extra paperwork for civilian inpatient care. In addition, patients covered by Tricare are required to pay a co-payment, deductible and balance if the bill exceeds the amount allowed and if the care provider is not a participant of the program.

Options

• As of 2010, there are 10 Tricare health plans available to military personnel. Options available to Tricare members include dental, pharmacy and special needs programs.