ARE YOU PAYING TOO MANY MEDICAL BILLS?

Photo courtesy of triwest.com

Health Insurance
So I found out that not everyone has the same information about medical insurance once you move out here so I hope this post is both accurate and helpful. When you get your military ID card from DEERS, you are automatically enrolled in Tricare basic.

Tricare basic= you may have to pay a copay, you may get billed after a doctor's visit, emergency room visits may incur out of pocket expenses.

If you go to the Tricare/Triwest office (in the Monterey area it is located at ACS on the corner of Gigling Road and General Jim Moore Blvd on Ord Military Community), you can sign up for FREE for TriWest Prime.

TriWest Prime= no copays, few if any out of pocket expenses

If you enroll before the 20th of each month, your registration will be effective the first of the following month. If you enroll after the 20th, you have to wait an extra month for your enrollment to be active (dependents only- changes to active duty are effective immediately)

Triwest Prime works like an HMO where you designate a primary care doctor and then get referrals from that doctor to see specialists (dermatologists, physical therapy, etc.). Once you are enrolled, you can register at www.triwest.com and get all the paperwork and authorizations, referrals, etc. online.

If you were enrolled in Tricare Prime BEFORE coming to the West Coast, you still have to enroll in TriWest. You might be able to do it online, but if you live on Fort Ord, it is just as easy to stop by ACS and enroll at the TriWest office. They also have an active list of doctors who are accepting new patients in the area. These are my basic understandings and I hope this helps all of you.

Prescriptions
If you are like me, and have filled prescriptions before joining the military community, you go to Walgreens, or CVS, pay $3 and think "What a Deal!" A deal would be paying NOTHING, and it is possible!

On DLI there is a health clinic (click here for a map). At the health clinic, only active duty military and small children can be seen at the medical facility. However, the health clinic has a pharmacy. The walk-in clinic looks like the trailer, and is attached to the medical office building with a columned entrance. Walk through that entrance and the pharmacy is to the left. If you bring your prescription to the pharmacy and they carry the medicine, you show your ID, wait and pay NOTHING. The only downside is that it is open during military hours which usually means if you have a 9-5 job you may not make it, but your spouse may be able to pick up the prescription for you. If they don't carry the medication, then you are off to the chain pharmacy and the $3.

Have you been paying too much? Do not worry. KEEP YOUR RECEIPTS. Your out of pocket medical expenses should be tax deductible so it isn't a total waste. That's all the information I have so far, please feel free to comment, correct or add.