I’ve had no problems. We are on Tricare Prime. The one thing is never forget to get an authorization before you see anyone other than your primary care provider (& the ER).
It was bad (in the late 1990s), but they turned it around. Customer service is now very efficient.
Never had an issue with Tricare. They don’t pay the doctors very much, but they take good care of the servicemembers.
It is really a great value compared to just about every other plan. If I joined my plan at work, I’d be paying per month what I pay annually. It is so good, I don’t tell my colleagues how good it is (knowing how much they pay).
Of course, it was supposed to be FREE for life after retirement, but it is cheap enough that I’m not gonna complain.
Tricare is very good. Pays 75 percent of the bill. You will have to get a supplement to cover the rest until you (and your spouse) turn 65. Most military associations sell it... Amn Military Assn, NCOA, AFSA, take your pick. Upon turning 65 you must pick up medicare part B, but then
tricare picks up 100 percent of what medicare don’t pay. You do not need part D; however, the copay makes it almost mandatory that you use the DOD express scripts mail system for your prescriptions.
I concur with the other comments. And, I have a terrific doctor.
once you qualify for “tricare for life” it is good
I have had it for many years. Tricare Standard has worked very well for me. I use the doctors I choose—if they accept Tricare, and they always have. During the one year I used Prime, I found it not so good as I often had to travel all day meeting simple appointments that had to be “in network.” This meant driving 50 miles to a doctor I would not have chosen then being sent another 80 miles away to get to the approved lab.
I use Tricare Standard because it provides me more freedoms and choices. Costs a little more but I don’t have to get referrals when I have a specific problem.
Works great for me and the wife.
16 days in the hospital, 84K bill, medicare A and Tri Care F-L took care of it. Nice of Congress to take the same benefit us lifer troops get, and for doing????
Switched to Standard and love it. I can usually get a same day appointment with my internist. Minimal co-pay with a $3,000 cap.
If I had thought it through earlier I would have had my family in Standard years earlier. Google Tricare Standard on-line and you will see tons of people who love the program.
I have. Tricare Standard, the PPO version. I can see most specialists without a referral, but the costs are higher. I added a tricare supplement insurance which pays the approved cost portion that tricare doesn’t. I like not having to go to a primary provider to get a referral and I like being able to go to my choice of specialists.
My Mom, who has Tricare for Life due to my Dad’s military service, has better care than any other health plan I know of. She has a Medicare supplement as well. They completely covered weeks in rehab, twice, after falls due to post-polio and other issues. Don’t know how long it will be this good, but it sure has been good for her. Get it while you can would be my advice.
I was a ‘grey area’ retiree. I was able to start Tricare-standard when I turned 60. I only carried Tricare from that date until I turned 65. I didn’t see much need for a supplement as Tricare-standard. I had been BC/BS Civil Service for years and the co-pays and cost shares weren’t all that much different between Tricare-standard and BC/BS and tricare was much, much, cheaper.
Every time I told a healthcare provider I had tricare, they would make a face and ask Prime or Standard. The face turned to a smile when I said Standard. The providers really don’t like Prime. I asked a couple what they thought about Standard and they said that they really liked Standard, that it paid well, and paid promptly.
In this area, Humana administers Tricare. The Humana reps strongly recommend Standard over Prime and all the complaints I’ve heard are about Prime, not Standard.
I’ve had Medicare for five years now so I’m on Tricare for Life. When I qualified for Medicare, I started receiving all this stuff about supplemental insurance. I called Humana and Humana told me they would be happy to sell me supplemental coverage but that I wouldn’t need it. They told me that I had the best supplemental insurance through Tricare for Life.
The best thing about Medicare and Tricare for life is this. You will have to pay a fee for medicare but the combination of medicare and life is great. If it’s covered under medicare, you’ll pay 20%. Tricare will pay the rest. Some times tricare will pay for things that medicare doesn’t. A friend needed some special surgical techniques that medicare wouldn’t cover. Tricare covered it 100%.
About two years ago, I severed all four tendons in the back of my right hand. (Walking my dog, long story.) I was in therapy for 10 weeks following the surgery. I saw one bill that was over 20K. I would guess that the total cost was around 50K. I paid five bucks for some pain pills. That was it total. I could have filed for the five bucks but it wasn’t worth it. I had one of the best hand surgeons in this area. Surgery was successful and I can play golf and touch type again.
I’ve never found a provider that would not take Tricare Standard or Tricare for Life. I have found some who would not take medicare.
I retired about 20 years ago and thought the TriCare Supplements were the way to go - - then I did the math. I switched to TriCare Prime and will stick with it till I have to go with TriCare for Life.
I believe the major factors in determining which is best for you is the old adage, location / location / location...Depending on where you live, your proximity to a Military base (with Clinic or a Full-fledged Hospital) and if you have “special medial needs” all come in to play.
In other words, there is no one best answer - - it depends.
As you probably know, there are two versions of Tricare you should currently be eligible for. Tricare Standard and Tricare Prime.
Tricare Standard is what I used for 25 years but you need a supplement in order to cover 100% of the costs. Supplements are available from numerous military-affiliated orgs.
Tricare Prime is like an HMO, if i’m not mistaken. I never used it, but I’ve known friends that have and they were very happy with it.
The third, which you’ll be eligible for when you turn 65 is Tricare for Life. Tricare for Life serves as a supplement to Medicare Parts A&B. Tricare also supports prescription medications under Express Scripts. (Express Scripts works under Tricare Standard too. Not sure about Tricare Prime, but I assume it does.)
I have tricare standard and love it, no problems, small deductible, good program.
I have Tricare Prime and they have done extremely well taking care of my family and I. Granted, we have to pay a monthly fee but it is not that of Obamacare and we actually get great medical care. I recently had to have both of my knees replaced and Tricare Prime allowed me a wonderful surgeon and the copay was almost that of a standard doctor’s visit.
So you probably be forced to keep your wife's insurance as primary.
The main problem with Tricare is Express Scripts.
They are next to impossible to deal with.
Other then that Tricare is as good as most insurance.