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New Dental Care for Military TRICARE Members by December 31

TRICARE Ends Dental Healthcare for Military Retirees on 31 December

The TRICARE Retiree Dental Program (TRDP) is ending on December 31, 2018. In place of TRDP for 2019, the Federal Employees Dental and Vision Insurance Program (FEDVIP) is welcoming TRICARE-eligible individuals.

Uniformed Services Retirees and Active Duty Family Members must enroll during the 2019 ‘Federal Benefits Open Season,’ if they would like dental and/or vision coverage beginning on January 1, 2019. Enrollment in FEDVIP is NOT automatic for an individual currently enrolled in TRDP. 

Of note:  Once the ‘Federal Benefits Open Season’ begins, enrollment can only occur through the BENEFEDS website or through the BENEFEDS Customer Service call center at 1-877-888-3337.

FEDVIP is a voluntary program providing supplemental dental and vision benefits on an ‘enrollee-pay-all’ basis to Federal civilian employees, retirees, and their families.  OPM is welcoming uniformed service retirees and their families to enroll in dental and vision coverage and active duty family members to enroll in vision coverage for the 2019 plan year.  

Key dates to transition to FEDVIP insurance are:

--  October 1, 2018: Begin shopping for coverage with the plan comparison tool on TRICARE.BENEFEDS.com.

--  Late October 2018:  Full FEDVIP benefits information is available on TRICARE.BENEFEDS.com

--  November 12 - December 10, 2018:  Enroll in dental and vision plans during Open Season.

--  January 1, 2019:  Coverage becomes effective.

Under FEDVIP, uniformed services retirees and their families will have access to dental and vision benefits.  Most active duty family members and uniformed services retirees and their family members will be able to enroll in FEDVIP vision, if they are enrolled in a TRICARE health plan.  Visit TRICARE.BENEFEDS.com to learn more.

TRICARE beneficiaries may find they have access to a more robust dental benefit than before, as well as the option of vision plans – a completely new offering.  FEDVIP offers a variety of plans, with different levels of cost and coverage, including High and Standard options. There are no plan exclusions and no waiting periods, except for orthodontia.  In-progress treatment will be honored, up to FEDVIP carrier limits.  The biggest change for beneficiaries will be that families can choose a dental and/or vision plan that meets their unique needs.

For Uniformed Services Retirees and Active Duty Family Members, as part of the FEDVIP enrollment process, BENEFEDS will set up your preferred method of payment or charge you automatically through DFAS (Defense Finance and Accounting Services).  Payments are retrospective, not prospective, meaning that while insurance coverage begins on January 1, 2019, BENEFEDS will collect your first FEDVIP payment February 1st.  Delta Dental will terminate your allotment for your 2018 TRICARE Retiree Dental Plan (TRDP) coverage following the December premium collection November 30th, with no action required on your part.   

The sources of the above information was gleaned from two websites:  www.tricare.benefeds.com and www.moaa.org.  Locally, eligible enrollees for the 2019 coverage year may contact the Retired Activities Office Program Manager, Paul Loveless, at the Mid-Coast Veterans Resource Center on Brunswick Landing for assistance and information (406-4103).  The Center is open 9am – 4pm, M – F, except for holidays.