TRICARE For Life Eligibility Deadline Extended

Since 07-27-02

News Item: Re-published from U.S. Navy Web Site "Navy News"
TRICARE For Life Eligibility Deadline Extended
Story number: NNS020726-11
Release date: 7/26/2002 10:07:00 AM
From TRICARE Management Activity Public Affairs

WASHINGTON (NNS) -- The Department of Defense announced today that the deadline for beneficiaries to update their eligibility in the Defense Enrollment Eligibility Reporting System (DEERS) and remain eligible for TRICARE For Life is extended until Sept. 1. After Sept. 1, claims for beneficiaries who are not shown as eligible in DEERS will be denied and will no longer be sent electronically from Medicare to TRICARE for payment. These beneficiaries will be responsible for paying for services that Medicare does not cover.

Claims received for beneficiaries with expired eligibility will continue to be denied until their eligibility information is updated. By law, DOD must recoup (take back) payments made for ineligible persons.

Since the initial Aug. 1 deadline for updating expired eligibility was set, DOD has received health care claims for over 40,000 TRICARE For Life beneficiaries with expired eligibility. Of those almost 19,000 have updated their eligibility. Approximately 4,000 lost their TRICARE eligibility due to events such as divorce from a military retiree, remarriage of a widow or death. Nearly 17,000 beneficiaries, however, have not responded to mailings from DOD urging them to update their eligibility in DEERS so they may use TRICARE For Life.

In March 2002, DOD launched a campaign to reach this "hard-to-find" population and inform them of their new TRICARE For Life benefits and what they needed to do to ensure their eligibility was up to date. The Defense Manpower Data Center (DMDC), who oversees DEERS, mailed individual letters to beneficiaries and explained how to update their eligibility information and expired uniformed services identification (ID) cards. "We urge beneficiaries to contact DMDC and update their eligibility in DEERS so they may continue to take advantage of this incredible benefit. We want to ensure that they have every opportunity to update their eligibility and use TRICARE For Life," explained Dr. William Winkenwerder, the assistant secretary of defense for health affairs, on the deadline extension.

DoD will take advantage of the additional time and send more individual letters to beneficiaries who have not updated their eligibility information in DEERS. TRICARE For Life beneficiaries who need to update or re-verify eligibility, or beneficiaries who have received an Explanation of Benefits (EOB) stating that they need to update their eligibility, should contact the nearest ID card facility for assistance.

The Web site developed to help beneficiaries locate the three nearest ID card facilities is www.dmdc.osd.mil/rsl. Beneficiaries may also call the DoD Benefits Reverification Telephone Center at 1-800-361-2620.

For more information about TRICARE For Life, interested persons may visit the TRICARE Web site at www.tricare.osd.mil/tfl or call the Worldwide TRICARE Information Center toll-free at 1-877-DOD-LIFE (1-877-363-5433).

011031-N-8386S-005 At sea aboard USS Carl Vinson (Oct. 31, 2001) – Medical personnel perform corrective hernia surgery aboard USS Carl Vinson (CVN 70). Taking care of Sailors at sea is one of the primary duties for Navy Doctors and Hospital Corpsman who provide an extensive medical services capability to any deployed battle group. U.S. Navy Photo by Photographer's Mate 3rd Class Jeff Stanislawski. (RELEASED)