Military community, take note: Defense health officials recently announced some limitations to online options for Tricare beneficiaries making changes to their health plans, starting with a global enrollment freeze that will affect any Tricare plan from Oct. 25-27.

During those three days, Tricare beneficiaries won’t be able to update their information or make changes to their plans, including overseas and dental plans.

The Oct. 25-27 outage is scheduled to allow the Defense Health Agency and its partners to transfer beneficiary enrollment information to the regional contractors, DHA officials said in an announcement Monday.

Additionally, after that freeze ends, Tricare beneficiaries won’t be able to make online health plan updates in milConnect through Beneficiary Web Enrollment beginning Oct. 28 through Dec. 31. Instead, beneficiaries will need to contact their regional Tricare contractor by phone to do things like change their primary care manager, update their plan due to a qualifying life event or change their plan during Tricare open season, which runs Nov. 11 through Dec. 10.

Those not currently enrolled in a Tricare plan can still enroll in one online between Oct. 28 and Dec. 31 through milConnect.

Tricare beneficiaries who live overseas can continue to use milConnect between Oct. 28 and Dec. 31. However, those transferring from the U.S. to an overseas location will need to contact International SOS.

Officials advise beneficiaries to check their information in the Defense Enrollment Eligibility Reporting System as soon as possible.

Information wasn’t immediately available about whether contractors have beefed up their call center staff to handle the extra calls.

The temporary online limitations come ahead of Tricare’s new regional contracts, which begin Jan. 1.

Those who want to make changes effective from Oct. 28 through Dec. 31 should call their current regional contractor. Humana Military, which covers the East Region, is at 800-444-5445. The current West Region contractor, Health Net Federal Service, is at 844-866-9378; TriWest Healthcare Alliance will take over as the new West Region contractor effective Jan. 1.

Those who want to make changes effective Jan. 1 and beyond, including Tricare open season:

  • East Region: Call Humana Military at 800-444-5445.
  • West Region, which adds Arkansas, Illinois, Louisiana, Oklahoma, Texas and Wisconsin effective Jan. 1: Call TriWest Healthcare Alliance at 888-874-9378. Their call center will open the first day of Tricare open season on Nov. 11.
  • Overseas: Update information in the Defense Enrollment Eligibility Reporting System or contact International SOS.
About Karen Jowers

Karen has covered military families, quality of life and consumer issues for Military Times for more than 30 years, and is co-author of a chapter on media coverage of military families in the book “A Battle Plan for Supporting Military Families.” She previously worked for newspapers in Guam, Norfolk, Jacksonville, Fla., and Athens, Ga.

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