Active Duty and Family Members

Under a new contract, May 1, 2004, active duty service members will be able to enroll in TRICARE Overseas Prime, providing a cashless, claimless system for routine, urgent and emergency medical and dental services. Eligible Active Duty Family Members who are accompanied on orders with their sponsors may enroll in the same benefit; however, they must continue to purchase dental services under the TRICARE Dental Program. For more information on this benefit, please read the news release. More details will follow as they become available.

Following closure of Naval Hospital Roosevelt Roads on Jan. 31, 2004, active duty service members and their families may visit the medical aid station for routine, urgent and emergency care 24 hours a day, 7 days a week. Beginning March 15, the Medical Unit will provide sick call service for Active Duty and Active Duty Family Members Monday-Friday, from 0730-1600.

Beneficiaries may call after hours; however, if active duty sponsors and/or family members have an immediate need after hours, they should go to the closest civilian emergency room. Your family members can arrange care with an external TRICARE network provider. For more information, please visit the TRICARE Service Center or call (787) 865-5913. For regional information, please visit the regional information summary table.

Beneficiaries can also get access to care at Fort Buchanan. It services active duty military and eligible family members between 0700 and 1600, Monday to Friday.

TRICARE Awards Contract for Health Care Services
in Puerto Rico
Feb. 27, 2004
No. 04-06

News Release

Dr. William Winkenwerder, Jr., assistant secretary of defense for health affairs, announced today's award of the TRICARE Health Care Services for Puerto Rico contract to Humana Military Healthcare Services, Inc., of Louisville, Ky. The contract will provide ongoing health care services and support through enrollment in TRICARE Overseas Program Prime in Puerto Rico for active duty service members and their families located in the Commonwealth of Puerto Rico. Since the Roosevelt Roads Naval Base and Naval Hospital Roosevelt Roads closed, TRICARE Management Activity has been working to advise beneficiaries of their health care options.

"This contract is designed to provide all of our active duty members and their families with continuous access to health care services," said Winkenwerder. "We are sensitive to the needs of our beneficiaries in Puerto Rico and we will work closely with the new contractor to ensure that civilian providers meet TRICARE's high standards for timely, quality care."

The contract is valued at $9,187,660 and includes a two-month base period, three one-year option periods and one nine-month option period. Delivery of health care services is scheduled to begin May 1, 2004.

Beginning May 1, 2004, active duty service members are eligible to receive routine, urgent and emergency medical and dental services under the new contract on a cashless, claimless basis. Active duty family members may also receive routine, urgent and emergency medical services under the new contract on a cashless, claimless basis; however, their dental services will continue to be provided by the TRICARE Dental Program. Medical records will be automatically transferred to the active duty member and/or family member's provider once the new contract is implemented.

During the transition, the Navy will provide sick call services to active duty sponsors and their family members for routine, urgent and emergency care. Beneficiaries may call after hours; however, if active duty sponsors and/or family members have an immediate need after hours, they should go to an emergency room.

"We will continue to support our beneficiaries throughout the transition by providing them with the information they need to understand and utilize their health care benefits," Winkenwerder said. "Beneficiaries will receive information about enrollment choices, primary care manager selections and the availability of specialists."