Joining the military has incredible benefits such as guaranteed paycheck and cash bonuses, education benefits, advanced and specialty training, 30 days annual paid vacation, travel incentives, option for full-time or part-time service, tax free room, board and allowances, use of commissary and military exchange stores, special home loans and discounts. There are also benefits that aren’t tangible like gaining skills and leadership, and training. Developing a sense of dedication, discipline, loyalty, and commitment. Aside from all the things mentioned, healthcare such as medical and dental care are also part of the benefits.
To be eligible for the military’s healthcare program you have to be part of these:
- Active duty personnel that are uniformed service members (this includes the army, air force, marine corps, coast guard, commissioned corps of the public health service, and the national oceanic and atmospheric administration) and their families.
- Family members of uniformed service members who died while on active duty or during retirement.
- Certain individuals who were either voluntarily or involuntarily separated from a uniformed service member (for example, by divorce).
- Medal of Honor recipients and their families
- National Guard/Reserve members and their families
- Survivors
- Others registered in the Defense Enrollment Eligibility Reporting System
There are also plans available for transitioning or separating service members but basic coverage for retirees are no longer automatically given.
The types of healthcare plans available are:
- Benefits for beneficiaries with special needs
- A pharmacy program
- Dental coverage
- Mental health care
The availability of these plans will differ on who you are and where you live.
There will be a need to verify military service in order to claim and use the healthcare benefits of military officers and other related parties. You can do this by checking online. You just need to provide the personal information needed and your social security number to perform the verification. The result can be printed. It will contain a signed letter with the Department of Defense seal.
The healthcare for active duty personnel of the military is called TRICARE and there are three basic programs to choose from:
TRICARE prime
This is a managed care option that is available in Prime Services Areas worldwide. This service does not require any enrollment fee. For officers that do that live in a Prime Service Area, they can choose from these options instead.
TRICARE Prime Remote
This requires that you live and work more than 50 miles or approximately one hour’s drive time from the nearest military treatment facility.
TRICARE Prime Overseas
Your Prime Care Manager will refer you to a provider in your local foreign area.
TRICARE Prime Remote Overseas
Your Prime Care Manager will refer you to a provider in your local foreign area and it requires that you live and work more than 50 miles or approximately one hour’s drive time from the nearest military treatment facility.
TRICARE Select (formerly called TRICARE Standard and TRICARE Extra)
This is a free for service insurance plan that allows you to see any doctor. You will only need to pay a small copay if you want to continue visiting the doctor you normally go to. The enrollment fee for this service depends on what group you belong to. Group A is for those who entered the service before january 1, 2018 and Group is for those who entered before that date. For Group A the fee is $150 for the active duty officer and $300 for their family. For Group B he fee is $475 for the active duty officer and $948 for their family.
For veterans have health care plans that include :
- Blindness Rehabilitation
- Agent Orange Exposure
- HIV/AIDS