Research - Rehabilitation - Re-Employment

Sgt. Shaft 12/10/2000

Dear Sgt. Shaft:
My father enlisted in the Army Air Corps in 1938, retired in 1966, and died in 1991. I am trying to determine my mother's military health care benefits that she may be entitled to as a widow of a retired veteran. Over the years she has purchased an HMO health plan. I was led to believe that veterans and spouses got free and complete care for life. Could you please inform me on the current policy and any steps I should take to help my mother?

Mark H. (e-mail)

Dear Mark:
The answer to your question may help many widows because of a recent change in law. Health care entitlement for life for retirees and their spouses was considered by many, including myself, as a promise for life. It was a broken promise as DoD beneficiary health care in non-military facilities terminates at age 65 or upon gaining eligibility for Medicare.

DoD health care beneficiaries, retirees, eligible family members and surviving spouses, under the current law are eligible for health care in non-military facilities under TRICARE. TRICARE entitlement currently terminates at age 65 or when the beneficiary becomes eligible for Medicare.

A new law, effective October 1, 2001 provides TRICARE-for-life without any premium cost. All military retirees, eligible family members and surviving spouses are included in this authorization but they must be enrolled in Medicare Part B unless they are still working and enrolled in an employer or union group health care coverage through their employment. TRICARE-for-life now becomes an authorized second payer to Medicare.

There is a great deal of information concerning TRICARE-for-life on the Internet at www.tricare.osd.mil. Many questions can be answered through that forum in relation to other insurance programs, overseas beneficiaries, enrollment cost, etc.

In addition, Congress recently passed a new Prescription Drug Benefit. All military beneficiaries, including Medicare-eligible beneficiaries 65 years and older are now eligible for the new TRICARE retail and mail-order pharmacy program called the TRICARE Senior Pharmacy Program (TSPP) which becomes effective April 1, 2001. Beneficiaries may continue to use military pharmacies for "space available" drugs or use TRICARE network pharmacies at the standard 20 percent co-pay, or use the TRICARE mail order pharmacy program for a co-pay of $8.00 per prescription for up to a 90-day supply, or non-network pharmacies can be used with a co-pay of 25 percent plus an annual deductible of $150.00 per year. Beneficiaries who attain age 65 on or after April 1, 2001 must be enrolled in Medicare Part B to be eligible for TSPP. Beneficiaries who reached age 65 prior to April 1, 2001, are not required to be enrolled in Medicare Part B to use the TSPP.

All military retirees, eligible family members and surviving spouses have a Uniformed Services Identification Card and their personal data is electronically recorded in the Defense Eligibility and Enrollment System (DEERS). This information verifies a beneficiary's current status and eligibility for health care. DEERS was not originally programmed to automatically update personal information. DoD will automatically update individual codes to show your mother's eligibility for the TSPP on April 1, 2001, and the TRICARE-for-life when the program becomes operational on October 1, 2001. It is important to have your mother's current address and other information recorded in DEERS. You can update your mother's personal information in the DEERS data base going to the nearest ID Card issuing facility or personnel office at your nearest military installation; or by e-mail to addrinfo@osd.pentagon.mil; or by fax to 831-655-8317; or by mail to DEERS support Office ATTN: COA 400 Gigling Rd., Seadside, CA 93955-6771; or by using the WEB at tricare.osd/DEERSAddress. You can also call DEERS toll free at 800-538-9552 for additional information. Also, should you or your mother have questions about TRICARE you can send a query to tricare_help@amedd.army.mil.

SHAFT KUDOS
Recognition and gratitude to the American Legion, the nation's largest veterans organization, for publishing a new booklet, "The American Legion Guide: Women Veterans." This comprehensive overview of benefits and resources includes articles on sexual trauma, sexual harassment, the detection of breast cancer and other conditions. It also provides the availability of services offered to women veterans by the Department of Veterans Affairs and The American Legion. The guide also has applications for VA benefits and a directory of federal agencies and organizations that can serve as resources for women veterans. The booklet will be of interest to all veterans specially America's 1.2 million women veterans. To obtain more information about this publication or to obtain a copy, contact Deputy Director Jackie Garrick at 202-263-2989.

The Sarge joins the American Legion, The Retired Officers Association (TROA) and The Military Coalition (representing 32 veterans organizations with about a 5.5 million membership), in their outrage that a significant number of military personnel are being denied their right to vote in the recent election because absentee ballots were not received in time or because their ballots were discarded for reasons such as absence of a postmark. These administrative details are beyond the control of a service member, particularly in combat zones. Counting of ballots from military personnel abroad is not a political matter but is a matter of individual rights and justice.

As Lt. General Nelson (USAF) (Ret.) President of TROA wrote to the Secretary of the Department of Defense, "TROA believes the Department should either pursue legislation to ensure fair consideration of military ballots or implement whatever procedures are necessary to ensure military ballots comply with all postmark-related requirements. In addition, the entitlement to postage-free mailing for members assigned to combat zones must be implemented in a way that does not take away such members' constitutional right to vote."

Send letters to Sgt. Shaft, c/o John Fales, P.O. Box 65900, Washington, D.C. 20035-5900; fax to 301-622-3330; call 202-462-4430 or email sgtshaft@bavf.org.

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