Tricare Retired Reserve?

[Bimmerbill]

Wondering if anyone has any more news on this program, to be offered to gray area retirees?

Supposidly part of the 2010 NDA Act.

Found a brief news bulletin on The Reserve Officer blog:

The Reserve Officer: TRICARE Retired Reserve Implementation May Slide

[Bimmerbill]

TRICARE Retired Reserve (from www.tricare.mil)



TRICARE Retired Reserve (TRR) is a premium-based, worldwide health plan available for purchase that qualified retired Reserve members and survivors may purchase. TRR offers comprehensive health coverage from any TRICARE-authorized provider or hospital.

2011 Premium Rates
Member only: $408.01 per month
Member-and-family: $1,020.05 per month
*Law requires members to pay the full cost of coverage under TRR with no government subsidy.

[beowulf]

That seems somewhat exhorbitant unless you have a medical condition that would disqualify you for normal underwriting. I am taking advantage of TRICARE as a retired reservist over 60 as a secondary payer and there is no cost to me for this. Of course, they don't pay very much and without my FEHB it wouldn't be of much use.

Back when I was in the reserves, we could only use the commissary when we were on ADT and we had a card for the PX that limited the number of visits. Now all reservists and gray area retirees have full acess with no limits. But, in the end, it sure was worthwhile to have put those years in.

[Bimmerbill]

Access to FEHB is a disqualifer for Tricare Retired Reserve.
I thought the family plan was a bit expensive, since in my case it would be me plus DD4.
I thought $400 a month wasn't bad if I wanted to quit my job and use this as primary health insurance until my free care kicked in at age 60. Of course, I couldn't do that since I want to keep DD4 covered!

[Nords]

Quote:

Originally Posted by Bimmerbill I thought $400 a month wasn't bad if I wanted to quit my job and use this as primary health insurance until my free care kicked in at age 60. Of course, I couldn't do that since I want to keep DD4 covered!

MOAA claims that the premiums are the unsubsidized value of our healthcare, and the only reason the legislation passed in the first place was because there would be no federal subsidy of gray-area retirees.

I know DoD has been fussing for years about military retirees being hired by civilian firms because the civilian firms think that their veterans will use TRICARE and save the company more money in the long run. I don't know how accurately that reflects reality but it's certainly good enough for DoD to keep chipping away at retiree benefits.

[beowulf]

Same thing goes for retired civilian servants. I receive no medical benefits from my company and they get a freebie. They weren't even receptive to giving me back part of what they are spending on folks who needed the subsidized insurance . We retired folks are a bargain for privaye companies when we start our second jobs.

[martyb]

beowulf...I retired from the USAF reserves in April this year. I'm 52 1/2 yrs old, so no pension check for a good while. I'm also a federal employee with DoD, and will be retiring from that gig on my 55th birthday...2 yrs, 4 months & 7 days from now. I'm trying to figure out if it would be a smart move or not, once I'm 60 & qualify for the full Tricare, to put my FEHB on suspension & just use the much less expensive Tricare. Also...if I decided NOT to suspend my FEHB, what about using the Tricare as my backup, instead of paying the higher costs for Medicare part B? I know all this is a ways off, but it's getting closer every day, especially the retirement date, and I like to have my plan laid out before I get to the finish line. By the way, I retired from the reserves with a total of 33 yrs, all enlisted. When I retire from civil service, I'll have 36 yrs. I'm currently a GS-11.

[beowulf]

Quote:

Originally Posted by martyb beowulf...I retired from the USAF reserves in April this year. I'm 52 1/2 yrs old, so no pension check for a good while. I'm also a federal employee with DoD, and will be retiring from that gig on my 55th birthday...2 yrs, 4 months & 7 days from now. I'm trying to figure out if it would be a smart move or not, once I'm 60 & qualify for the full Tricare, to put my FEHB on suspension & just use the much less expensive Tricare. Also...if I decided NOT to suspend my FEHB, what about using the Tricare as my backup, instead of paying the higher costs for Medicare part B? I know all this is a ways off, but it's getting closer every day, especially the retirement date, and I like to have my plan laid out before I get to the finish line. By the way, I retired from the reserves with a total of 33 yrs, all enlisted. When I retire from civil service, I'll have 36 yrs. I'm currently a GS-11.

martyb- Congrats on your forthcoming retirement. It's nice to have that retirement check and another job after it for a few years.

I really don't think you can make firm medical plans for events that are 7 1/2 and 12 1/2 years away. There are too many things that can and will change by then. I did not suspend FEHB at 60 - I tried to compare FEHB and Tricare and it's very hard. I feel more comfortable with FEHB as my primary and free Tricare as my secondary. It's also a pain to file for Tricare reimbursement unless the Dr will do it for you - few will.

Also, if you want Tricare after 65, you MUST take Medicare Part B. I have no idea what it will look like in 3 years, let alone 12 1/2. I believe you will have to keep checking for changes to laws and policies and then reevaluate a year or so before you turn 60 and then 65. Unfortunately there are no easy answers.