Does Your TRICARE Supplement Insurance Plan Fit Your Family?

Presented by MOAA Insurance Plans, endorsed by Military Officers Association of America (MOAA), administered by Mercer

When it comes to your health care, there’s no “one-size-fits-all” solution. TRICARE offers generous coverage, but it was never designed to cover everything.

That’s why some military associations and companies offer different types of TRICARE supplement insurance plans - designed for military families in many different situations - whether you’re on active duty, in the National Guard or Reserves, or already retired.

But how do you decide which plan is best for you? It depends on many factors:

· Where do you usually get your medical care?

· Do you or a family member have an ongoing medical issue?

· Are you looking for a supplement that mainly helps to protect your budget against big medical expenses?

· Would you rather have a plan that limits how much you’ll pay out of pocket for both regular check-ups and more serious health situations?

Most TRICARE supplement insurance plans fall into one of three offerings: Inpatient and Outpatient TRICARE Select Supplement, Inpatient-Only TRICARE Select Supplement, or TRICARE Prime Supplement.

Let’s take a quick look at each type of coverage to help you see which option might be the best fit for your family.

Inpatient and Outpatient Coverage: TRICARE Select Supplement - More Comprehensive Benefits to Handle Routine Care PLUS Serious Medical Issues

If you’re looking for a supplement to help take care of co-payments for normal doctor visits in addition to helping to protect your wallet against high cost-shares and excess charges associated with hospital stays and larger medical bills, take a closer look at Inpatient and Outpatient supplements for those under TRICARE Select.

Most Inpatient and Outpatient plans are specifically set up to supplement TRICARE benefits - once any applicable TRICARE deductibles are met. They help cover TRICARE co-payments and cost-shares for a wide range of situations - from doctor visits for a sinus infection to broken bones or even major medical problems like a hospital stay caused by a heart attack.

In addition, some supplements cover excess charges, which sometimes happens when your TRICARE-authorized doctor charges you more than what TRICARE allows. If your doctor does, you’re responsible for the “excess” amount, up to 15% above the TRICARE allowed amount. This can be an important benefit to consider when choosing a supplement.

With an Inpatient and Outpatient TRICARE Select Supplement, you’ll generally eliminate many of the out-of-pocket expenses TRICARE leaves for you.

This type of coverage can also be an ideal solution if you or a family member have a medical condition which requires more frequent doctor visits or ongoing prescription drugs.

But there is a trade-off: Premiums for this more extensive coverage are generally higher than other types of TRICARE supplements.

Inpatient-Only Coverage: TRICARE Select Supplement - A Safety Net Against Big Hospital Bills

Some military families covered by TRICARE don’t mind handling co-payments for routine medical care. But they’re worried about the impact to their budget in the event of a sudden hospital stay caused by an accident or a serious medical condition.

Inpatient-Only supplement plans can help eliminate those concerns for those under TRICARE Select.

As the name implies, Inpatient-Only coverage does not provide benefits for routine doctor visits or ongoing outpatient care for a health issue. An Inpatient-Only plan kicks in when you’re admitted to the hospital - when medical bills, including cost-shares and excess charges, can quickly escalate.

If your budget can handle the TRICARE co-payments for routine medical care, an Inpatient-Only plan can be a good “just in case” back-up to help protect your finances against higher cost-shares and possible excess charges associated with a hospital bill.

Plus, because these types of plans aren’t picking up the cost for general care in a doctor’s office, premiums for Inpatient-Only plans are often more economical.

TRICARE Prime Coverage: TRICARE Prime Supplement - Practically Eliminating Out-Of-Pocket Medical Expenses

If you’re covered by TRICARE Prime and want a plan to cover co-payments for your care, a TRICARE Prime supplement can be a good solution for you.

TRICARE Prime supplements are usually set up to take care of the co-payments for outpatient care, hospital stays, emergency care, medical supplies and more. This can bring important peace of mind … especially for busy families who are often juggling other expenses at the same time.

With a TRICARE Prime supplement, you’ll likely be able to get the medical care you need without worrying about extra costs because the supplement picks up the tab for Prime’s co-payments.

In addition, if you’re using the TRICARE Prime Point of Service (POS) option, a TRICARE Prime supplement may help pay the cost-shares and any excess charges once your POS deductible has been met.

Choosing A TRICARE Supplement That Fits Your Family

Once you’ve narrowed down the type of supplement you think works best for your situation, the next step is deciding where to get the supplement. Many military associations endorse TRICARE supplements for their members.

For over 50 years, the Military Officers Association of America (MOAA) has offered a variety of TRICARE supplements tailored to meet the needs of its diverse membership.

Whether you’re a Junior Officer with a young family, a Senior Officer looking ahead toward retirement, a Retired Officer or somewhere in between, MOAA’s MEDIPLUS® TRICARE Supplement Program has a TRICARE Supplement option that can help you and your family.

Click here to find out more about MOAA’s MEDIPLUS® TRICARE Supplement options or call 1-800-247-2192. MOAA’s TRICARE Supplement plans are available to officers under age 65, who are MOAA Members. Not a member of MOAA? Join Now.

Program Administered by Mercer Health & Benefits Administration LLC

AR Insurance License #100102691 • CA Insurance License #0G39709

In CA d/b/a Mercer Health & Benefits Insurance Services LLC

TRICARE Form Series includes SRP-1269, or state equivalent.

All benefits are subject to the terms and conditions of the policy. Policies underwritten by Hartford Life and Accident Insurance Company detail exclusions, limitations and terms under which the policies may be continued in force or discontinued.

Policies are underwritten by Hartford Life and Accident Insurance Company, Home Office Hartford, CT.