LVMAC Tidbit: Guard Your Health — It is Open Season for Military Healthcare
EDITOR’S NOTE: As related at our November council meeting, it is open season for military healthcare insurance. As promised, we are relaying the contents of Tammy Cartagana’s message given there to you through our website. It is was not a direct sales pitch, but given in the interest of the local Lehigh Valley community of military and military retirees.
From November 13 to December 12, 2023 is when Retired Military and Active Duty Family members are able to make changes to their health, dental and vision insurances.
About Medical Insurance
If you have served more than 20 years, or were medically retired with a 30% or more rating from your branch of service, then you are entitled to TRICARE Prime or TRICARE Select at a very low cost. TRICARE Prime is approximately $30 a month for single/ $60 a month for Family. TRICARE Select is about $15 a month for a single plus a deducible of $150 for the year/ $30 a month for the family plus a deductible of $300 for the year. Prices do increase annually – but it is minimal.
If you are an active duty family member (ADFM) you can also change your health care coverage at this time as well. As family members are automatically enrolled in TRICARE Prime with Humana, they do have a choice to use TRICARE Select. While TRICARE Prime is 100% free for the ADFM, TRICARE select has deductibles and cost shares.
Those military members that are retired and have Medicare Part A and B, are entitled to TRICARE For life, which covers your part C and D.
For more information about TRICARE benefits, visit the TRICARE website.
About Dental/Vision Insurance
All Military retirees and their dependents are now eligible for Dental and Vision benefits through the FEDVIP program. In Pennsylvania, you have 11 choices for low cost Dental Insurance and 6 choices for Low cost vision. You must be enrolled in a TRICARE Program in order to utilize this benefit. Go to Benefeds.com and follow the prompts to get enrolled.
For Questions
If you have any questions concerning eligibility, or enrollment, please do not hesitate to contact Tammy Cartagena at 646-284-5736 or TCartagena@svcmcny.org. You can text or call – the phone is a direct line.
Tammy Cartagena works for the Uniformed Services Family Health Plan (USFHP) at Saint Vincent’s Catholic Medical Center, a TRICARE® Prime military health plan sponsored by the Department of Defense (DoD). St. Vincent’s is an associate member of the council.
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As of 15 November 2023