ARMED FORCES NEWS
TRICARE FOR LIFE STARTS ON SCHEDULE
October 5, 2001

Tricare for Life kicked off on schedule October 1, extending medical benefits to Medicare-eligible military retirees, their spouses and their survivors who are enrolled in Medicare Part B. For eligible beneficiaries, Tricare became a second payer to Medicare. This ended their need to pay many out-of-pocket expenses, and most will probably conclude they no longer need to buy "Medigap" supplemental insurance, Tricare officials said. The only requirements for beneficiaries are that they ensure the accuracy of their information in the Defense Eligibility Enrollment Reporting System and that they be enrolled in Medicare Part B.

FEHBP Suspensions Okayed for TFL A new Federal Employees Health Benefits Program regulation allows FEHBP enrollees to suspend their enrollments in order to join TFL, and to later re-enroll in FEHBP. If those who take advantage of the suspension should lose their TFL coverage involuntarily, they would be allowed to rejoin FEHBP immediately. Alternatively, if they subsequently find that TFL is not for them, they can rejoin FEHBP during an open season enrollment. Retirees and survivors who are eligible for TFL and who want to suspend their FEHBP enrollments, should call 1-888-767-6738. The new regulation is at http://www.opm.gov/insure. Click on "Federal Employees Health Benefits."

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