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#1
08-13-2018, 10:08 AM
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OT: Military retirees TRDP is ending Updated Information on page 2
In case some of you missed the news. The Tricare Retiree Dental Program is being terminated on 31 Dec 2018. There is an option to join the federal employee plan if qualified. Information can be found at the Tricare website:
tricare.benefeds.com Last edited by semdoug; 08-16-2018 at 07:38 AM. Reason: Update 
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#2
08-13-2018, 11:26 AM
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IM not military but, doesnt look like a good news.
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#3
08-13-2018, 12:18 PM
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Constant changes to our retirement "benefits". I keep seeing news about this but have never been officially notified. I do need to figure this out as I already carry a plan under my current federal job and used the TRDP as a secondary. Hopefully I can still carry too as dental is my biggest concern health-wise.
I've already been forced to quit using the local pharmacy for my refills on maintenance meds. Now have to do a 60 mile RT run to the base and use their pharmacy that's only open during work hours. So I have to take leave to get my meds. Tried using the home delivery program but after repeated attempts to get my stuff turned into them we gave up. I actually watched my DR turn in their forms, done to their standards to Express Scripts (or whatever the name is now) twice only to have them rejected. Being retired from the military is no longer all it's cracked up to be. Don't even get this 50% disabled vet started on the joke called the VA.....
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#4
08-13-2018, 01:44 PM
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Dental plans are not covered in the brunt of private industry retiree health plans, and I see no reason why they should be covered military retiree plan (and I am ex-military). Oral damage, from duties, action or whatever, are covered under the military health plan. Routine and restorative services from age should be covered by a private plan, just like I carry - and many others.
A veteran being discharged is entitled to one free examination and whatever else is required a healthy mouth. There is no reason an individual should not be responsible for maintaining his oral hygiene and health.
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#5
08-13-2018, 04:18 PM
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Way back in the 70's everyone that served in the military was "promised" full healthcare upon 20 year retirement for honorable service. Those were the days when serving in the military wasn't the same as today when people say "thank you for your service." Recruiters used this as an incentive with the all voluntary force because most people wanted nothing to do with the military after Vietnam. Heck... healthcare was supposed to be free and there was no mention of co-pays. The government flat out lied.
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#6
08-13-2018, 05:57 PM
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I'm retired military and I use my employer dental plan that is an $18/month deduction from my pay. That's the deluxe plan with a 20% share on crowns. I never counted on dental as part of my retirement without paying for it. If you're in the VA system, most clinics offer dental.
As far as prescriptions, CVS dropped Tricare and now I can only get 30 day fills at Walgreens. I moved my prescriptions to VA mail order and get 90 day fills with no out of pocket costs. At the clinic I can get immediate stuff like BP and arthritis meds, the maintenance stuff like statins is mailed. As far as retired medical, I was 47 when I retired with 27 years. I went back to work as an engineer so I combined my Tricare with BCBS from work and had no out of pocket costs. Tricare paid the shared. The negative is having Tricare means you can't have an HSA and many employers are moving towards those plans while eliminating PPO types. Now that my son is gone to the Naval Academy and I won't have a wife in a month, for my new job I'm going to try Tricare/VA to see how it works for a few months. The VA clinic in Kingman, AZ is a mile from my house and my health is good. If it's not all that, I'll elect BCBS from work in October and pay the $250 or so a month in my cost for an individual.
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#8
08-15-2018, 04:43 PM
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Congrats on the boy going to the Academy!
Ryan Quote:
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#9
08-15-2018, 09:18 PM
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1) Thanks to everyone who served.
2) As a 30-something who is in generally perfect health (and family), the looming rises in healthcare costs have my mind wandering for alternative locations where these discussions don't have to take place. It's moronic to say the least.
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#10
08-16-2018, 05:36 AM
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I've been retired Army for almost 20 years and never had routine dental in my retired medical coverage, other than when I was still working in a civilian job. I'm now Medicare/Tricare for life and recently, I noticed that one of those paid a small amount on a dental bill--I think it must have been the "exam" portion of a cleaning I had. This termination of the dental plan will affect some, but I suspect that most military retirees either pay as they go for dental or get their insurance elsewhere.
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#11
08-16-2018, 07:35 AM
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Well, from what I'm seeing right now this actually is a "lost" benefit. I already have a dental program I pay for with my current federal job. Then I've been paying for the Delta Dental as a secondary insurance. Looking at the current rules for FEDVIP you can't have two programs. So looks like I'm "shafted" by this change as i won't be able to carry dual insurance anymore. Unless something has changed that is not indicated at the FEDVIP website.
Got to love how you make your financial decisions based on how things are only to have these "promises" constantly changing. Sort of like when I was first hired on after retirement by a defense contractor. Part of my benefits package (and the reason I took the job despite a significant wage cut) was that they would pay for a TRICARE supplement. Then after a year or so Congress passed a law making this illegal. Of course the contractor didn't increase my wages to make up for the lost benefit. A benefit I then started paying for myself.
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#12
08-16-2018, 07:36 AM
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Clarification and Update
Just to clarify, since seeing that their are military retirees on this forum my sole intention of this thread was to provide information to my fellow military retirees. There was no desire on my part to instigate any sort of for or against argument related to military benefits, veterans, or the VA.
My concern was generated by the fact that there is something weird going on with the notification of this change. I only found out about it through my DAV newsletter and roughly two weeks later a post card from the Defense Health Agency/Tricare. I have spoken with others that have received neither form of notification. Updated Information: The website has been updated with eligibility, plans and cost comparison tools. https://tricare.benefeds.com/InfoPor...token=r6US1HFT
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#13
08-16-2018, 01:11 PM
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Quote:
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#14
08-16-2018, 04:31 PM
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Talk about not providing info...The VA doesn't disclose that you will be dropped from their system if you do not see a doctor for over TWO years. Considering I'm in great shape for my age with zero health issues I didn't see the need to waste my time or theirs going to the doctor. I was shocked when I went to make an appointment only to find out that I had been dumped.
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#15
08-17-2018, 07:44 AM
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Quote:
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