TRICARE beneficiaries facing out-of-pocket expenses from unforeseen circumstances or even routine medical procedures can find peace of mind through USBA’s TRICARE supplemental insurance offerings.
Military members and their families who are covered by TRICARE health insurance can limit out-of-pocket expenses by purchasing supplemental insurance plans, which are offered by the not-for-profit USBA.
Founded in 1959, USBA offers “competitively priced” TRICARE supplemental insurance thanks to its partnerships with plan administrator Selman & Company and underwriter The Hartford, said Pam Oyler, senior director of business development.
The 65-year-old company also prides itself on providing excellent, personalized customer service, she said.
“Our communication center staff is licensed in all eligible states, well-trained and knowledgeable. They can help individuals determine which TRICARE supplement is the best option for them and assist them with enrollment, as well as with life insurance needs and other products offered by USBA,” Oyler said
TRICARE plans have “catastrophic caps” ranging from $1,000 to $4,400 per year, which is the annual maximum people pay out-of-pocket for TRICARE-covered health care services. Oyler added that once a supplement plan’s deductible is met, the supplement reimburses individuals for things such as the catastrophic cap, copayments, and cost shares.
USBA offers six types of supplemental plans, depending on which TRICARE plan individuals are eligible for through the Defense Enrollment Eligibility Reporting System (DEERS): TRICARE Prime, TRICARE Select, TRICARE Active Duty Family Member, TRICARE Reserve Select, TRICARE Retired Reserve, and TRICARE Young Adult.
None has a deductible, except for the TRICARE Select supplement and the Retired Reserve supplement, whose deductibles are $250 for individuals and $500 for families.
All USBA supplemental plans have guaranteed acceptance (although preexisting conditions are not covered for the first six months) and are priced equally for smokers and non-smokers.
One of the benefits of USBA’s TRICARE Prime supplemental insurance is that it allows individuals who move out of a TRICARE Prime service area to switch to a TRICARE Select insurance supplement and get credit for preexisting conditions for the time spent in the TRICARE Prime supplement plan.
“All USBA TRICARE supplemental plans offer a 30-day ‘right to examine,’ which allows the individual a full refund of any premium paid if they decide they do not want the supplement,” Oyler stated.
The senior director added that the cost of USBA’s TRICARE supplemental plans varies, with those for members of the National Guard and reserves being the least expensive.
TRICARE Prime supplemental plan rates range from $43.68 monthly for individuals under 40 to $105 monthly up to age 65. TRICARE Select supplemental plan rates range from $26.32 monthly for individuals under 40 to $55.46 monthly for those up to age 64. TRICARE Prime and Select offer a discounted rate for the first year except in Ohio and Kentucky.
USBA TRICARE supplemental insurance plans are available across the United States except in Alaska, New Hampshire, Colorado, Utah, Maine, Washington, and Puerto Rico. USBA is among the few associations that offer TRICARE supplemental insurance plans in the state of Oregon, per Oyler.
Individuals are eligible to enroll in USBA’s TRICARE supplement plans under age 65 and not eligible for Medicare, Oyler said. Then customers can switch to TRICARE for Life, which becomes the supplemental insurance for Medicare. USBA also offers CHAMPVA supplemental insurance plans for spouses, children and widow/widowers of disabled veterans.
“Individuals become members of USBA simply by enrolling in TRICARE or CHAMPVA supplemental insurance plans, with no fees to join,” Oyler emphasized.
Anyone interested in obtaining more information about USBA’s TRICARE and CHAMPVA supplemental insurance plans can visit here or speak with a licensed product specialist by calling (877) 297-9235, ext. 554, Monday through Friday, 9:00 a.m. to 4:00 p.m. CST.
