Make the Most of Your Child’s Well-Child Visits (West Region)

This article contains information specific to beneficiaries living in the West RegionAlaska, Arizona, California, Colorado, Hawaii, Idaho, Iowa (excludes Rock Island arsenal area), Kansas, Minnesota, Missouri (except St. Louis area), Montana, Nebraska, Nevada, New Mexico, North Dakota, Oregon, South Dakota, Texas (southwestern corner including El Paso), Utah, Washington and Wyoming.. Check the map to find your region.

TRICARE covers well-child visits from birth through age 5. These visits allow your child’s doctor to check your child’s physical, emotional, and social health and development. These visits also provide your child with age-appropriate vaccines needed to protect them from serious illnesses such as chickenpox, whooping cough, hepatitis A and B, and the flu.

There are things you can do to make sure you get the most out of well-child visits—after all, you’re the one who knows your child best, and you play a key role in your child’s health.

Here are a few things you can do to make the most of well-child visits:

• Be prepared. Put upcoming appointment dates and times on your calendar so you can plan for transportation and allow time to pack a bag with necessities like diapers and wipes, toys for distractions, snacks, and hand sanitizer. Being prepared helps avoid stress for both parents and children.
• Make a list. Before the visit, make a list of any questions or concerns you may have about your child’s health, development, or behavior. Talking through this list with the doctor can help them give you the most appropriate advice for your child’s specific needs.
• Be open and honest. Let the doctor know about any challenges you’ve experienced and successes or milestones you’ve seen. Being open and honest gives the doctor access to the “whole picture” and allows them to thoroughly assess your child’s development.

Did you know? You can add your minor children (ages 17 and under) to your www.tricare-west.com account. When you add your child, you’ll be able to see their eligibility, claims and authorization information, and preventive health information. Make sure your child’s age is correct in the Defense Enrollment Eligibility Reporting System(DEERS) A database of information on uniformed services members (sponsors), U.S.-sponsored foreign military, DoD and uniformed services civilians, other personnel as directed by the DoD, and their family members. You need to register in DEERS to get TRICARE..

You can also and use Health Net Federal Services’ Preventive Services History tool when you’re logged in to your account. This tool can help you to find out when your child is next due or eligible for preventive care services.