By J.G. Noll
Oh, TRICARE. There’s not a military family that doesn’t have a love-hate relationship with this particular benefit. Whether you’re a little more on the love spectrum today, or you’re really hating the bureaucratic knots you’re being tied in, it’s nice to know that virtually everyone has experienced these standard TRICARE moments.
1. When you realize you have to call the TRICARE appointment line.
2. When you call the appointment line, your kid is sick and you really, really need an appointment, like, yesterday.
3. When you walk into the clinic and see how many people are in the waiting room.
5. When you experience the TRICARE unicorn: Everything goes perfectly from the beginning of the appointment to the end.
6. When your name is finally called for an appointment… and it’s pronounced correctly.
7. When you leave the clinic after (what seems like) a million hours.
8. When you walk into the pharmacy and pull a number for “C87” and X24, Y36, and H89 are currently being served.
9. When you have to PCS and transfer your family’s files to your next TRICARE provider.
Before Thanksgiving I had a referral. I called an wrote down a large list of approved doctors. After calling all on the list, I came up with 2 appointments within the week and one for 2 months out. I called Tricare back with all numbers in hand. While the two quick doctors had been on the list, the number/address they gave me was not acceptable to Tricare. I found the appointment 2 months out unacceptable. Of course, 2 months have now passed and everything is worse.
My husband currently has United Healthcare Plus thru his employer. I’m an ovarian cancer patient and we’ve had zero problems with United accepting my doctors, surgeons, hospitals, pharmacies, etc. Nut he’s just itching to switch to using Tri Care Prime because he’s sure it’s cheaper. Sure thing. Will I get to keep my fabulous oncologist and gyn oncology surgeon? Chemo treatments at my oncologist’s treatment center? Pain med specialist? General surgeon? Primary care giver? Labs and radiology facilities all right here very close by? I will NOT give Amy of that up for the sake of money.
Meant to say NOW he’s just itching….
I am at high risk for ovarian cancer and TriCare will not pay for a screening.
You need one for when you have a very full bladder waiting to give a urine sample at the clinic and active duty in uniform people keep showing up.