Medical Issues

[steven.blackshear]

Hello, My wife and I are veterans and about to retire and see the states. I have a question about insurance on the road, especially with Tricare insurance. Those that have good things to say or bad things to say, I should would like to hear them. Also how to other full timers deal with their insurance and moving around?

 

[H2H1]

Hi Steven, as you can see I am a veteran also.Your insurance will not be altered in any way. All hospitals that I know will honor and give you medical service when needed as long as you have ins. and Tricare should not be ant problem. Also Good Sams offer a Emergency Medical Road Assistance. I think that is what it is called. But you can look it up and read about it, just google GOOD SAMS.

 

[vanole]

Steve,

Your main decision will be either to choose Tricare Prime or Tricare Standard. I personally chose "prime" with the lower copay. That said I'm not sure it is the best for fulltimers.

Irregardless of your choice each has its advantages and disadvantages. I don't full time but I do spend 6 months a year in south Florida. I live in Virginia and of course these states are in different Tricare regions and managed by different folks. Tricare north is managed by Healthnet and Tricare south is managed by Humana. When in south Florida and I have a medical problem I have to ensure that I follow the Tricare rules with a fine tooth comb. After 32 years in the Navy I can follow rules pretty good. For instance last year while in Miami I had a kidney stone attack and went to the ER at at a local hospital (hospital is the key not a doc in the box) and was treated as if I was at home. The ER Dr wanted me to follow up with a urologist in 1 month. This is where following directions comes in. As a Tricare Prime guy I had to call my PCM in Va Beach who then iniated a referral through channels (Healthnet and Humana). I got the referral approved and it was like I as was at home with the $12 copay. If I did not go through the wickets I would have been obligated to pay either the full tariff or the Point of Service amount which both would have been significantly more expensive.

Bottom line Prime works when you travel you just have to jump through a couple of hoops. With Standard you don't have the hoops you pay a little more but have more freedom in chossing docs etc.

V/R
Jeff