Next Steps for Newly Activated Reservists

Prior to deployment, it is important to enroll your family into TRICARE to ensure their medical benefits are covered. Follow these steps to ensure that you and your family are fully covered:

1. Understand USERRA
In order to prevent a break in coverage, you and your family are strongly encouraged to consider retaining your employer’s health plan coverage until you actually report for active duty, at which time you and your family are fully covered by Uniformed Services Employment Reemployment Rights Act (USERRA) protections. Under USERRA, the protections for members that are ensured by an employer-sponsored health plan do not go into effect until the member actually reports for active duty.

2. DEERS Enrollment
To be eligible for TRICARE, you and your family must be enrolled in the Defense Enrollment Eligibility Reporting System (DEERS). Your Service personnel office is responsible for determining TRICARE eligibility. If you are an eligible Reserve Component (RC) member, the Services will notify and advise you of your TRICARE medical and dental benefits when your active duty orders are issued. You may verify your TRICARE eligibility through the secure Guard and Reserve Web portal

Update your DEERS information in any of the following ways:

                             Defense Manpower Data Center Support Office
                             Attn: COA
                             400 Gigling Rd.
                             Seaside, CA 93955-6771

To update your address only in DEERS, you may do so online.

3. Enroll in TRICARE Prime
You will not be enrolled in TRICARE Prime until you arrive at your final duty station. Upon arrival, follow the guidance of your Service personnel office regarding TRICARE Prime enrollment. If you’re released prior to arriving at your final duty station, or your orders are cancelled, TRICARE Prime enrollment will not occur.

Contact TriWest Healthcare Alliance to enroll your eligible family members into TRICARE Prime or TRICARE Prime Remote for Active Duty Family Members. You may download an enrollment form online or call TriWest toll free at 1-888-TRIWEST (874-9378) to request one.

4. After Enrollment
Once your family is enrolled in TRICARE Prime, they will receive military ID cards that they need to take with them to doctor visits. If they need to see a specialist, TriWest must receive a referral from their Primary Care Manager (PCM) prior to seeing the specialist.

5. Manage TRICARE Online
While you are away from home, you can manage your family’s TRICARE benefits easily at www.triwest.com. As a registered member, you can check claims status, update other health insurance (OHI) information, get the latest information about your benefits and much more.