TRICARE Health Insurance
The United States military has always assumed the important task of
taking care of its own by providing military insurance for health care
purposes for active-duty members as well as veterans. Through
enrollment in these programs, some similar to private health insurance
policies, members or former members of the armed forces are guaranteed
low-cost medical care.Military insurance comes in various forms and deciphering the
types of policies available can sometimes be a daunting task.
Veterans Affairs (VA) provides a medical benefits package for all
enrolled veterans, which emphasizes preventive and primary care, and
offers a full range of outpatient and inpatient services within the VA
health care system.
Eligibility requirements are based on active duty guidelines for those
who served in the Army, Navy, Marines, Air Force, Coast Guard, or
Merchant Marines. Some National Guard or Reserve members who are
called to active duty by Executive Order may also qualify for VA
military insurance and the benefits that accompany it.
Many active duty soldiers and veterans will also find themselves
eligible for military insurance programs such as TRICARE. This is
the Department of Defense’s worldwide healthcare program serving both
active and retired individuals and their families.
TRICARE is not unlike private health insurance in that it offers a
number of different options. Unlike VA insurance, however, it
does not require that services stay within the system of hospitals and
physicians overseen by Veterans Affairs.
This program covers most health care that is deemed medically necessary
for active and retired military and their dependent family. It
also pays for most medical supplies and, in some cases, treatment in
health care centers other than hospitals, such as residential treatment
programs or rehabilitation centers.
TRICARE Prime, the most popular military insurance program offered, is
similar to a civilian HMO in that it stresses preventive care and
covers such routine medical expenses as office visits and
immunizations. Indemnity (fee-for-service) plans are also
available through TRICARE, offering more choices but higher
costs.