Health Matters (West) Newsletter: 2023—Issue 3
This quarterly newsletter provides information about your TRICARE benefit. This stateside edition 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.
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Issue 3 | 2023
- TRICARE Q&A: Managing Your DEERS Record
Learn how to maintain your DEERS record and why it’s important to do so. - Have Other Health Insurance? Here’s How It Works With TRICARE
Discover how TRICARE and Other Health InsuranceHealth insurance you have in addition to TRICARE, such as Medicare or an employer-sponsored health insurance. TRICARE supplements don’t qualify as "other health insurance." can work together to cover your health care, dental care, and prescriptions. - Before Natural Disasters Strike, Know Your TRICARE Benefits
When the government issues a state of emergency, TRICARE may temporarily change its procedures to ensure you receive timely medical care. Here’s what you need to know. - How To Find Your TRICARE Referrals
A referral is when your primary care manager sends you to see another provider. Learn tips for finding and using your referrals. - Copayments, Cost-Shares, and Other TRICARE Costs You Should Know
Learn more about your plan’s copayments, cost-shares, and deductible and how out-of-pocket costs work for prescriptions. - Find Health Care Providers To Get the Care You Need
Whether you’re new to the West Region or just looking for a new doctor, discover all the convenient ways to find the care you need. - From Prediabetes to Healthy: Steps To Prevent Type 2 Diabetes
Here are some healthy lifestyle tips to help you stop your prediabetes from turning into type 2 diabetes.
Do I need to reenroll in my TRICARE health plan every year?
No. If you don’t want to change your plan, you don’t have to do anything. Your current plan continues next year if you remain TRICARE-eligible. If you have a TRICARE Prime or TRICARE Select plan, you can change plans during TRICARE Open Season or when you have a Qualifying Life Event. The next TRICARE Open Season is Nov. 13 to Dec. 12. Changes you make during this open season will be effective Jan. 1, 2024.
Open season doesn’t apply to TRICARE For Life, TRICARE Reserve Select, TRICARE Retired Reserve, and TRICARE Young Adult. It also doesn’t apply to active duty service members.
How do I know which beneficiary group I’m in?
Your group depends on your sponsor’s enlistment or commission date. If your sponsor enlisted or was commissioned:
- Before Jan. 1, 2018, you and your sponsor are in Group AIf you or your sponsor’s initial enlistment or appointment occurred before January 1, 2018, you are in Group A.
- On or after Jan. 1, 2018, you and your sponsor are in Group BIf you or your sponsor’s initial enlistment or appointment occurs on or after January 1, 2018, are in Group B.
Group A and Group B have different enrollment fees and out-of-pocket costs. Check out the Compare Costs tool to view your costs.
What's the difference between MHS GENESIS Patient Portal and TOL Patient Portal?
The Department of Defense has nearly completed deployment of MHS GENESIS, the new electronic health record. The MHS GENESIS Patient Portal is replacing the legacy TOL Patient Portal. Over the past several years, the TOL Patient Portal has been phased out. By early 2024, all military hospitals and clinics worldwide will use the MHS GENESIS Patient Portal.
With the MHS GENESIS Patient Portal, you can make appointments, view your health information, send messages to your military health care team, request prescription renewals, fill out specific forms in advance, access a health library, and more.
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Did you miss a recent TRICARE webinar? You can now find recordings, transcripts, and more at TRICARE Webinars. Check out the new page to learn more about your TRICARE pharmacy benefits, TRICARE For Life, and other topics. |
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| If you have a major life change, like moving or getting married, you may be eligible to make changes to your TRICARE health plan. TRICARE Prime and TRICARE Selectplans let you enroll or change health plans when you or a family member has a Qualifying Life Event. Go to Qualifying Life Events to learn more. |
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Health Matters (West) Newsletter: 2023—Issue 2
Health Matters (West) Newsletter: 2023—Issue 4
Health Matters (West) Newsletter: 2024—Issue 1
Last Updated 3/14/2024