How to Switch to Tricare Standard

Tricare, the military's health insurance program, offers many available options for service members and their families. The program is very large and has expanded since its inception in an attempt to meet all service members' health care needs for military and private medical services regardless of where they are stationed in the world. There are three primary coverage options available under Tricare: Tricare Prime, Tricare Extra, and Tricare Standard. Simply, Prime is designed to serve military and family members who utilize military facilities as their primary health care choice. Extra functions much like an HMO with preferred provider options. Standard is the original CHAMPUS program that allows members to use any health care provider by paying a fee upon rendering of services.

Instructions

• 1

  Verify your eligibility information for the service member, as well as your other family members in DEERS (Defense Enrollment Eligibility Reporting System) by visiting the nearest military service office.

• 2

  Enroll in Tricare Prime to access all Tricare programs.

• 3

  Review benefits and out-of-pocket expenses, such as co-pays and noncovered expenditures under each type of plan: Prime, Extra, and Standard. Weigh the pros and cons of each plan for your family.

• 4

  Determine which region of Tricare's service area in which you reside. Currently, Tricare service areas are divided into the following regions:

  1. north;

  2. south;

  3. west;

  4. Europe;

  5. Puerto Rico, Virgin Islands, Latin America and Canada.

• 5

  Choose a health care provider according to the needs of your family.