We have been a military family for about 3 years and im still kind of getting use to some things. I am wondering if anyone knows if tri care will approve you taking your child to an OFF base pediatrician even though the base has one. I am not happy with the pediatric office at the clinic and I know you typically have to get a referral from the doctor to go off base. But im wondering if anyone knows any way around this.
We also have tricare and my son has off base pediatrician. We don't live near the base so we can see any doctors that would accept Tricare. Call Tricare to change it.
If you switched to Tricare Standard you have to pay a percentage. Tricare Prime pays 100% so you don't have to pay a dime. Once you switched you cannot switch back until one year later.
I think alot depends on how full the base pediatrician is. Around Lewis- McChord they tend to encourage it. However I had a friend who wanted OB off base because it was closer to her home and they didn't allow it because they had high quality OB on base (according to Tricare)
Go to Tricare office and see what your options are for off base care.
Do you have tricare prime or tricare standard? If you have tricare standard then you can go off post. With tricare prime you have to stay with the military options or pay full price out of pocket. You can easily switch, just call tricare. Once you switch though you will have to pay to even use the military clinics though so be sure you really want to. Once you switch you can't switch back for 12 months (I think , it M. be 9 months or 18 months... not sure).
Yes, it is possible. We have a ped on post, but many people go off. I think you just have to request and find someone who takes tricare.
I am not military but one of my son's friends is an ex-military mom and until recently had tri-care for her daughter. She couldn't get on base but had to call them for a referral to take her daughter to the clinic (she didn't have a pediatrician because she had only recently moved back to DE). She called, they gave a referall and then didn't even have a co-pay.
We were able to make this happen when DS was born. We were required to use the MTF, but the pediatrician was clueless and her NP was ok, but had no one to turn to if she didn't have an answer...so I was adamant that we went to someone off post. It took some hoop jumping and red tape though. We had to write a letter to the Commander of the MTF explaining our reasons for wanting off-post care. (I could forward you the letter if I can find it). As a medical professional myself, I had some weight in terms of knowing exactly HOW the pediatrician was lacking, so I ended up having to talk to the patient care advocate and several other people before they'd approve our off-post pediatrician. By the time it actually took effect, we were only at that post for 5 more months! But it CAN be done!
Dear HAJ-
I know for my pregnancies, I got an 'exception to policy' to see private OB/GYN and delivery at my local hospital...Although I was within their 'radius' of military installation 'as the crow flies', since my first had been an emergency c section...we did not want to risk it the next time.
If you can come up with a compelling reason...state your reasons and request it in writing...
Just a thought!
Michele/cat
My daughter is covered by Tricare because her father is a retired vet, so we don't live on a post. All the doctors/clinics we use are off base. We do need to check with doctors to make sure they accept Tricare before seeing them.
Yep, Kathy is right. When we were on a special assignment and lived away from any base we were covered 100% at a civilian doctor, but if you are on or around a base you will have to switch to Tricare Standard with copays and such. It also makes being seen on base much harder and you are stuck with it for a year. I know it sucks taking them on base, but if you don't like the pediatrician you saw you can request another. Give it a few months and see if you get used to the way it works. If I could pick one, I would go off base, but my kids get great medical treatment on post. Good luck!
When we moved to the post we are at the hospital/clinics were full and were only accepting people who lived on post. Everyone new to the area who lived off post had to get a prime care manager off post. They were so full they were even asking people who were already seen on post but lived off post if they wouldn't mind seeing a doctor off post. Since it was the hospital refusing us we got to keep tricare prime. I would call tricare and ask them what you needed to do to go off post and how much it would cost you.
tri care will cover emergencies, But I would take to the base ped, about what you think could be better, I have been using Tri care now for almost 30 years, and have never had a problem with my kids doc's or mine. J.
