Civilian healthcare while in military?

[nospamplease]

Sorry, I tried a search on this and had no luck.

For my healthcare and that of my wife and kids, if I'm in the military, do I have the option of continuing services with my civilian providers (this comes through my wife's great insurance).

This is not to be any kind of slam against military medicine, but we have a collection of physicians, dentists, and other folks that we've seen through the years and have been very happy with and they don't take TRICARE.

Is there any requirement that I or my family get health services through TRICARE if serving active duty?

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[NavyFP]

Sorry, I tried a search on this and had no luck.

For my healthcare and that of my wife and kids, if I'm in the military, do I have the option of continuing services with my civilian providers (this comes through my wife's great insurance).

This is not to be any kind of slam against military medicine, but we have a collection of physicians, dentists, and other folks that we've seen through the years and have been very happy with and they don't take TRICARE.

Is there any requirement that I or my family get health services through TRICARE if serving active duty?

No, there is no requirement. As long as you are in the area and are using your wife's insurance, your good. You can also use TRICARE as the secondary payer and they should take care of copays and deductables.

 

[mitchconnie]

No, there is no requirement. As long as you are in the area and are using your wife's insurance, your good. You can also use TRICARE as the secondary payer and they should take care of copays and deductables.

We used my wife's insurance and got civilian care for her and our children for several years. She delivered both of our children at a civilian hospital, which was way more plush and hassle-free than our local MTF. It was my specific intent to keep them away from the military system, which at that particular base was horrendous for OB and peds.

At one point, we also used Tricare Standard, which at the time allowed you to see a much wider range of civilian providers than Tricare Prime, even ones that were not specifically a part of the Tricare Network. There were some co-pays and minor hassles submitting for re-imbursements, but it was well worth it. If your wife loses insurance, I would look into Tricare Standard, although my experience was a few years ago and things may have changed.

 

[IgD]

For my healthcare and that of my wife and kids, if I'm in the military, do I have the option of continuing services with my civilian providers (this comes through my wife's great insurance).

When I was in the military, my family and I enjoyed going to the MTF. We felt we were all comrades sowing wheat and doing are part to improve efficiency and increase productivity.

 

[mitchconnie]

When I was in the military, my family and I enjoyed going to the MTF. We felt we were all comrades sowing wheat and doing are part to improve efficiency and increase productivity.

After seeing what was really going on behind the scenes at my last base, I was truly afraid to have my family set foot in the MTF.

The only real advantage I see in using the MTF is that as a physician you will know all the players personally and can make phone calls, pull strings, and generally make things happen STAT.

 

[crazybrancato]

After seeing what was really going on behind the scenes at my last base, I was truly afraid to have my family set foot in the MTF.

The only real advantage I see in using the MTF is that as a physician you will know all the players personally and can make phone calls, pull strings, and generally make things happen STAT.

which MTF? please, tell us so we can avoid it, seriously, if it was that bad . . .

problem here is that you're trying to generalize to all MTFs and clinics. Balboa here in SD has been great. The BMCs too.

Not sure what your beef is, I'm sure it's warranted, but not necessarily applicable to all MTFs.

To the OP: Sure, keep you wife's insurance. Not bad to have a second route of care, for a second or third opinion. I did the same thing with my wife's, but I never used it.

 

[mitchconnie]

which MTF? please, tell us so we can avoid it, seriously, if it was that bad . . .

problem here is that you're trying to generalize to all MTFs and clinics. Balboa here in SD has been great. The BMCs too.

Not sure what your beef is, I'm sure it's warranted, but not necessarily applicable to all MTFs.

To the OP: Sure, keep you wife's insurance. Not bad to have a second route of care, for a second or third opinion. I did the same thing with my wife's, but I never used it.

Not trying to generalize at all. I had serious concerns about quality of care in some departments at two of the four MTF's that I have been associated with. The others were fine. For instance, I thought that NNMC Bethesda was very reasonable with regard to pediatrics and ped. surg.

I probably should never name names or put some of the things that happened in print. I apologize if that sounds overly dramatic, but a couple of the incidents were so bad that they could easily provoke a Washington Post style investigation/Drudge Report Headline/Congressional Hearing, etc.

 

[former military]

unless things have changed... you the active duty member need to get your health care through the military and they can outsource you to civilian care at their discretion or if you require a specialist they don't have...

I do not believe you can just choose to get health care from a provider at your discretion. Your family can go to wherever...

if in doubt, certainly don't ask... but they will likely find out when the military gets billed and they throw a fit...

 

[nospamplease]

unless things have changed... you the active duty member need to get your health care through the military and they can outsource you to civilian care at their discretion or if you require a specialist they don't have...

Can someone confirm or deny this, please? This runs counter to what some of the other posters have said. I am interested in continuing to see my current physicians with my family. Am I obligated to now change all healthcare providers to military physicians since I am active duty?

if in doubt, certainly don't ask... but they will likely find out when the military gets billed and they throw a fit...

I'll follow the rules, but this is the first I've heard of this. I don't think I ever signed anything or read any orders that I can't see civilian healthcare providers. If that's the case, I'll do so, but its' the first I've heard of it.

The military would not get billed, so I don't think they'd throw a fit. My wife has longstanding health insurance she's not going to give up while I'm in the service and I've been covered under it for free. I realize Tricare is free too, but I'd rather see doctors and dentists I've seen for years than switch over to strangers for the next four or so years.

 

[NavyFP]

Can someone confirm or deny this, please? This runs counter to what some of the other posters have said. I am interested in continuing to see my current physicians with my family. Am I obligated to now change all healthcare providers to military physicians since I am active duty?

I'll follow the rules, but this is the first I've heard of this. I don't think I ever signed anything or read any orders that I can't see civilian healthcare providers. If that's the case, I'll do so, but its' the first I've heard of it.

The military would not get billed, so I don't think they'd throw a fit. My wife has longstanding health insurance she's not going to give up while I'm in the service and I've been covered under it for free. I realize Tricare is free too, but I'd rather see doctors and dentists I've seen for years than switch over to strangers for the next four or so years.

Active Duty members at assigned primary care managers based on command. For example if you are stationed at the Pentagon, you are assigned to the Pentagon clinic. Can you request a different Military Treatment Facility? Yes. I am not sure they will allow an AD member to be assigned to a civilian, but if they did, they would have to be a participating provider. AD are NOT authorized to use TRICARE standard. We are all automatically Prime.

I have friends who go to a local GYN for their annual exams, but they pay for this out of pocket.