Are any special loans available for spouses that are looking to go back to school?

What is the cost for your spouse to be covered on your medical insurance plan?

My active duty husband told me that the new GI Bill can also be used by the spouses. I definitely do not know all the details of this. There are also many scholarships out there for military spouses. Here's a link to the post 9/11 GI Bill info:
http://www.gibill.va.gov/GI_Bill_In...ansfer.htm

Here's a TriCare weblink that explains military members' and their dependents' benefits. For all hospital related care I had as a dependent (physical checkups, prenatal care, etc.), it was all free.

http://www.tricare.mil/mybenefit/&l...-- Edit -->

Last Edited : 12/16/2009 5:39:40 AM GMT

it costs nothing with TriCare Prime

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With the new GI bill you have to have served so many years and be committed to so many more. Check with a resource center on bases. There are not as many programs as their used to be for military spouses but there are still some and most colleges give discounts. Some bases offer spouses the opportunity to take classes on base and get credits as well. In the Navy it is Fleet and Family Services not sure about CG. And there are scholarships out there as well.

As far as Tricare Prime if you look at the LES I believe for the family plan it is actually around 27 bucks a month that is deducted.

i pay nothing when i go to my kidney doctor, my ob/gyn, my perinatologist, and when i get my blood drawn multiple times a month. i know with tricare standard and for the dental plan you have to pay. prime is free because you have to use military doctors or get referrals to see civilian doctors and it's more of a hassle.

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So who decides if you get Tricare Standard or Tricare Prime?

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You pick which one you want. With TriCare Standard, you can go to whatever doctor you want and you pay a deductible and a copay. With Prime, you have to go to a military doctor as your primary care and they write referrals for you to see civilian doctors for specialized care. We chose Prime because we pay nothing and I have to go to a bunch of different specialists for a kidney transplant and at risk pregnancy and those copays would start adding up. This way I just go to my primary care doctor and get a referral and it's all covered.

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It can also depend on your location. For those stationed in an area where there are no military bases within a reasonable driving distance, we have Tricare Prime Remote. You will choose a PCM (Primary Care Manager) from a list of providers, and they will write you referalls to specialists, etc. For active duty, spouses, children services are all paid for by Tricare.

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"When you fall on your face you are still moving forward."

You are entitled to Prime if you are active duty depending on your location. Like Gears said you can be on Remote if you do not live within 50 miles (I believe) of a military medical facility. And Standard is for retirees, and some reservists. We have Tricare Reserve Select through the Navy Reserves. Tricare Prime has no deductibles or co-pays or anything, civilian or military, but you have to go through the referral process and select a PCM.

I was stating the wrong thing earlier. Tricare Dental is about 27 a month through United Concordia for a family plan, it's a have to because your spouse TYPICALLY is not allowed to be seen at a military dental clinic.

Oh and i also meant to say that you don't HAVE to see a military doctor on PRIME it is all about the status of the MTF's. Sometimes if the MTF's are to full with active duty as a dependent you are not first priority and are assigned a civilian primary care doctor. But ultimately, you have to see a pcm before you can see a specialists regardless. Over my 9 years I have seen both and depending on location usually prefer the civilians. Balboa in San Diego was a nice MTF and I had my daughter there. But Portsmouth in Virginia was horrible and I chose to go civilian. In Mississippi I was at Keesler Air Force Base and it was ok! In Texas we are on TRS so we see civi's.

But it's not smart to chose to pay for Standard when you are entitled to Prime and if I am not mistaken you get Prime automatically when you enroll as active duty. You also have to update your information in DEERS and keep it updated everytime you move or add a family member before you can make changes in Tricare. You also have to re-enroll in Tricare everytime you move depending on your region. I think there are 4 Tricare Regions and Tricare is civilian owned!!!

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Mrs Buck Hijo,

I sent you a PM-- Thanks

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Standard was designed for the retired and reservists before they created the TRS. I did state it was stupid to pay for standard when you get prime for free. I am ready to get back to the hassle of prime and quit paying so much out of pocket for TRS.

Of course they would offer you standard because it costs them less money but you have to fall under certain circumstances (refusal to change provider, living so far from mtf's.. etc) to qualify for standard if your spouse is active duty.

When we enrolled they said "your husband is active?" "you live within so many miles of the mtf?" you go prime. Never even a discussion.<!-- Edit -->

Last Edited : 12/16/2009 10:40:12 PM GMT

I have to add this story because everyone who has ever had to deal with the wonderful Tricare customer service will love it!!

I was 9 mos pregnant with my son and my husband was on deployment. My dad had melanoma and was in the final stages of life when my mom called me home. I was in VA (north region) and had to go to MS (south region). I went to the doctor got the ok to travel packed what I could up and drove 16 hours.

I knew I was going to have to have my son there, so I began to follow the procedures to swap insurance to the south region so I could have access to care. Well after two weeks of calling Tricare and them and their "nurse" telling me my dad passing away was not an emergency and they would swap me to standard and I would have to eat 50% of the costs I FINALLY got someone to do a temporary change for 30 days worth of coverage in the south region (I forget the name of the change) and had it done in an hour. Of course I could have went into labor and went in as an er, but I don't labor naturally. At 9 mos I was still closed shut (same with my daughter) and was showing no signs of labor ... ever!!! I did have to be induced as I knew I was going to.

This is the shortened version. My husband's CO was trying to get involved and the doctors were calling them.. It was the worst. Already being preggo and the stress I was dealing with I lost it on so many of those 1-800 people in the North and it was actually a South region person that I got through to who was like oh you just gotta do this!!! I was blown away.

It's great to have free insurance but they don't always have your best interest at heart.

Tricare really can be a nightmare. But, your Sector/Unit Corpsman can be a lifesaver. There was a case where an active duty member's wife had a baby. Unfortunately, there were complications, and long story short a $50K bill showed up in the mail that Tricare wasn't going to touch. A short trip to the Corpsman office and the bill disappeared.

CG Corpsman are magician's, and do a fine job on stitches (but that is a whole other story.)

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"When you fall on your face you are still moving forward."

I believe to transfer the Post 9/11 GI Bill you have to have 6 years in service and a commitment of 4 more. Don't take this as the definite word, but I believe that's what it is. As far as scholarships there are many places out there that try to help out wives of the military you just have to hunt them down. Tricare... now that is a topic of discussion haha...it can be a pain in the butt at times but for the most part they are great. My wife and I are on Tricare Prime Remote because we live more than 50 miles away from a facility or what not Im not too sure lol. We have 3 hospitals in a 15 mile radius from our house so Tricare just plain confuses me. But hey its free..the only thing the spouse will have to pay for are your prescriptions. UNLESS you live on a big base where there is a hospital then you're home free!!

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The cost of prescription medications are greatly reduced. $9 for name brand, $3 for generics, free for active duty. Walgreens works with Tricare insurance.

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"When you fall on your face you are still moving forward."

$22 for name brand birth control pills. I thought I would add that... we pay that for my wife haha. It beats paying the.$150 I believe it is.

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Yea I understand that for sure. I am sitting at $27 /3 month for one bc and depending which route I go mail order or retail I am up to $66 for 3 months for the other. I like the more expensive one better!! Go figure and they don't even carry it at MTF pharmacies!!!

OH and TXCG09 you are right about the new GI Bill transfer. However, last time we checked it was up in the air whether or not the extra 4 years had to be active duty or active reserves. inactive reserves was not a qualification. It says everywhere that it's active duty or active reserves but when you apply for the transfer meeting those standards you get denied. My husband has served 6 years active and is set up for another 6 reserves and it got kicked back and they say call the DOD and the DOD says call the VA and it's a mess haha!! But oh well!!

Well HTurner that sounds like the government to me.. haha. I have only been in for 2 years so far so I might give it to my future kid whenever that may be.

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to give it to kids it's a completely different standard... that we mentioned earlier was only for spouses I think.. I think for kids it's like served 10 years and committed to another 10!! basically gonna retire

WHAT! Man.. oh well.. haha I'll probably retire.

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