Posted on 12/12/2002 3:51:46 PM PST by Jen
The Department of Defense has awarded Delta Dental Plan of California a contract to provide services for the TRICARE Retiree Dental Program (TRDP). This is a five-year renewal contract and is valued at approximately $987 million.
"The new contract provides a greatly enhanced dental benefit package and improved customer service for our retirees," said Dr. William Winkenwerder Jr., assistant secretary of defense for health affairs.
The new contract becomes effective May 1, 2003. With its current enrollment of 650,000, the TRDP is already the nation's largest voluntary, all enrollee-paid dental program. It will continue to provide a dental plan to uniformed service retirees and their family members, certain surviving members of deceased active duty sponsors and to Medal of Honor recipients and their immediate family members and survivors.
The TRDP will offer dental coverage throughout the 50 states, plus the District of Columbia, Puerto Rico, Guam, the U.S. Virgin Islands, American Samoa, the Commonwealth of the Northern Mariana Islands and Canada. All premiums are paid by those enrolled and vary depending on where they live.
According to Delta officials, the new contract reduces the mandatory enrollment obligation to only 12 months, after which enrollees can remain in the program on a month-to-month basis. Additionally, the waiting period for a full scope of benefits has been reduced to just 12 months, after which 50 percent coverage for crowns, bridges, full/partial dentures and orthodontics goes into effect.
"Since the program was first introduced in 1998, Congress and the Department of Defense have steadily increased the benefits we are allowed to offer," said Lowell Daun, DDS, senior vice president for Delta's Federal Services division.
Dr. Daun noted the program continues to carry a $50 per person, per year deductible, but now also includes a family cap of $150 and an increased annual maximum amount of $1,200 against which preventive and diagnostic services are not counted.
Coverage for these services, as well as for basic restorative services, periodontics, endodontics, oral surgery and dental emergencies is available immediately on the effective date of coverage. Crowns, bridges, full and partial dentures and orthodontics are available after 12 months continuous enrollment.
Retirees and their family members can obtain more information about the program at http://www.tricare.osd.mil or by visiting the Delta Dental Plan of California Web site at http://www.ddpdelta.org.
Delta Dental may also be contacted:
By Phone:
Enrollment (new enrollments, changes and related correspondence)
Phone 1 (888) 838-8737
Monday - Friday (excluding holidays), 7 a.m. to 5 p.m. PST
Customer Service (claims, eligibility inquiries & related correspondence)
Phone 1 (888) 336-3260
Monday - Friday (excluding holidays), 8:15 a.m. - 4:30 p.m. PST
Interactive Voice Response (IVR)
Phone 1 (888) 336-3260
Available around the clock, Monday - Saturday
By Mail:
Delta Dental Plan of California
Federal Services
P.O. Box 537008
Sacramento, CA 95853-7008
By E-mail:
Enrollment: ddpenroll@delta.org
Customer service: ddpservice@delta.org
(From Air Force Retiree News Service)
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