TRICARE

[MotorSarge]

JJ, I have not sat down yet and read into details of the Tricare Overseas plan. I just know that it is available in the PI.

I will research that this weekend as we are getting close to making the semi-permanent move soon enough.

I hate homework on the weekends....

[scott h]

7 hours ago, JJReyes said:

I have a curiosity about TRICARE. 

 

1 hour ago, MotorSarge said:

Also, all our medicines & prescriptions are free at military pharmacies, sometimes a small copay if received on the civilian sector side.

 

1 hour ago, JJReyes said:

Is there any difference if you are retired and living in a foreign country?

JJ, we have been using Tricare for the past 11 years here in the PI, I will just gloss over the details as I am just to bone idle to research specific dollar amounts 

When we first moved here and started using Tricare we were responsible for the first 200 dollars or so for medical expenses and then Tricare picked up the rest. (well we would make payment in full to the hospital and then after about 30 days Tricare would send us a check for expenses that are covered by Tricare, sort of a pain in the butt because it was an US treasury check and we would have to pay the fee to deposit it and then wait for it to clear) all in all not a bad system.

Then just pre-covid or there abouts the system changed to where we needed to make a co-payment per visit and Tricare would pick up the rest. At stateside prices it would still be a good deal but as it turns out here dealing with local prices, a visit to the doctor costs 22 USD, the deductible is 20 USD, so after 30 days we get a check from the treasury for 2 USD, the bank fee to cash the check is is 5 USD . So now for routine matters such as renewal of prescriptions, flu shots and the like we just visit a local clinic pay the 10 USD fee and avoid the hassle of schlepping down to the hospital with all its inherent hassle. 

As for medicines, Tricare will cover those, BUT we have to download a form, fill it out with medical information, attach a copy of the prescription, send it to the main office in Singapore and wait for them to process it. To be perfectly honest the costs of drugs here are so low that is just not worth my time and effort to go through all that, so we just pay cash at the local pharmacy.

Now where Tricare is most valuable here is in catastrophic care, I don't remember the exact amounts but if we are hospitalized then we are responsible for XXX amount and the Tricare picks up the rest. 

Hope that helps a bit 

[JJReyes]

48 minutes ago, scott h said:

JJ, we have been using Tricare for the past 11 years here in the PI, I will just gloss over the details as I am just to bone idle to research specific dollar amounts 

When we first moved here and started using Tricare we were responsible for the first 200 dollars or so for medical expenses and then Tricare picked up the rest. (well we would make payment in full to the hospital and then after about 30 days Tricare would send us a check for expenses that are covered by Tricare, sort of a pain in the butt because it was an US treasury check and we would have to pay the fee to deposit it and then wait for it to clear) all in all not a bad system.

Then just pre-covid or there abouts the system changed to where we needed to make a co-payment per visit and Tricare would pick up the rest. At stateside prices it would still be a good deal but as it turns out here dealing with local prices, a visit to the doctor costs 22 USD, the deductible is 20 USD, so after 30 days we get a check from the treasury for 2 USD, the bank fee to cash the check is is 5 USD . So now for routine matters such as renewal of prescriptions, flu shots and the like we just visit a local clinic pay the 10 USD fee and avoid the hassle of schlepping down to the hospital with all its inherent hassle. 

As for medicines, Tricare will cover those, BUT we have to download a form, fill it out with medical information, attach a copy of the prescription, send it to the main office in Singapore and wait for them to process it. To be perfectly honest the costs of drugs here are so low that is just not worth my time and effort to go through all that, so we just pay cash at the local pharmacy.

Now where Tricare is most valuable here is in catastrophic care, I don't remember the exact amounts but if we are hospitalized then we are responsible for XXX amount and the Tricare picks up the rest. 

Hope that helps a bit 

Thanks for the information.  We will move to the Philippines during the time period when we need assisted care.  I am trying to convince friends, including several who are former military, to do the same.  It would be nice to have a support network.  

[BLM]

I moved here in 2014, then again in 2020 after a few years in Hawaii. I've used Tricare at Baypointe and at appt's in town. I always check to see if they take Tricare first. When I was having a recurring heart problem, I found that the recommended Heart Center in Manila didn't take Tricare so I researched and found Medical City Clark as the only reputable heart specialist center that would take Tricare. After going through all the tests and paying upfront (for Tricare to reimburse later) The Doc who is the only one there to perform the op for a pacemaker doesn't take Tricare. Surprise! I needed somewhere around 10 grand cash USD to pay up front, with more maybe needed later. I couldn't get an exact number. Then they prescribed meds not covered by Tricare and the most expensive they had. So it's a trip back to Hawaii to get evaluated and taken care of, where Tricare and Medicare will cover me.

As with Dr. visits and prescriptions here, it's as mentioned by earlier posts, inexpensive to the point where I don't send in claims forms for anything under 25 dollars. Baypointe has a Tricare rep 2nd floor there to handle and help out with the paperwork.

I haven't had any other major dealings with Tricare except my heart problem, so I can't say how other major health problems would work out.

[MotorSarge]

1 hour ago, JJReyes said:

Thanks for the information.  We will move to the Philippines during the time period when we need assisted care.  I am trying to convince friends, including several who are former military, to do the same.  It would be nice to have a support network.  

Count us in JJ.

[OnMyWay]

2 hours ago, BLM said:

I've used Tricare at Baypointe

Was that recently?

After heavy renovations, the old Lourdes Hospital in Baretto is ready to reopen as Ulticare.  Lourdes was ok for a lot of stuff.  Both my kids were born there.  It definitely needed a renovation so perhaps it will be much nicer now.  Maybe they will take Tricare.

Another option for small things might be the Medical City Clinic that opened at SM Central.  I stopped there last week to ask questions.  I was hoping they might have docs from Medical City Clark but it looks like they will mostly have local docs.  They are not really functioning yet.

[BLM]

Yes recently. Our family doc is also a cardiologist that sees patients there, but I go to her office out in town for a shorter waiting time.

I've been watching to see when Lourdes would be done. I'll check them out.

[MotorSarge]

There is also the Naval Ospital in Guam, about a 4 hour flight to keep in mind.  

Edited September 23, 2023 by MotorSarge
misstated

[JJReyes]

7 minutes ago, MotorSarge said:

There is also the Naval Ospital in Guam, about a hour flight to keep in mind.  

Guam is an option for those on Medicare.  

[MotorSarge]

So, I glossed over a little quicky at the Tricare Overseas Program, and it seems pretty cut and dry.

As previously stated, pick your Doctor, Specialty or Hospital to see if they accept TOP from online listed providers.

Tricare will cover up to their cap limit anything else will be on the patient.