Hilltop Times – Hill Air Force Base Weekly Newspaper Since 1948

It's that time of year again. TriCare Prime billing statements have gone out in the West Region. This year, enrollees will be seeing some new numbers in their statements. The individual and family annual enrollment fee rates are increasing.

Are my fees changing?

Yes, the fees are changing for most retiree TriCare Prime enrollees. Fee-paying enrollees* were paying either (depending on the date of enrollment):

• $230 or $260 for individual coverage or
• $460 or $520 for a family coverage.

When you're leaving on vacation or changing duty stations, TriCare is your medical coverage. These five small steps can help you avoid unexpected issues during your travels -- even if you change TriCare regions.

Keep DEERS updated

No matter which TriCare program you use, your Defense Enrollment Eligibility Reporting System (DEERS) record is the key to your military health care eligibility. If your address changes for more than 60 days, you can log into milConnect (milconnect.dmdc.mil) to update DEERS.

Bumps, cuts and bruises are all part of any kid's life.

Dealing with deployments and multiple moves and school changes are all part of a military kid's life. As a parent, you strive for consistency. You want safety and happiness. But what do you do when your family gets bumped, cut and bruised along the way?

When you go to the doctor, do you sit by the mailbox, waiting for your claims statement to come in? Or do the envelopes and statements just pile up?

Cut your clutter and get access to your TriCare health care information quickly when you register for a secure TriWest.com account and sign up for paperless Explanation of Benefits (EOB) statements, referral and authorization letters and fee statements.

Would you rather go online instead of waiting in line?

TriCare Online (TOL) provides quick and easy access to medical and pharmacy services at certain military treatment facilities (MTF). To see if which services are available at your location, visit TriCareOnline.com to get started.

TOL, the Department of Defense's online healthcare portal, allows authorized family members to use a Common Access Card (CAC) or DoD Self-Service (DS) Logon to:

Your smartphone can now be used for more than texting friends or flinging birds. With TriWest's mobile account tools, you can get closer to your health care.

TriWest Mobile App

Get answers to your general TriCare questions whether you're relaxing at home, standing in line or waiting at the doctor's office. Download the TriWest mobile app (TriWest.com/GoMobile) for iPhone, iPad or Android. You will have easy access to information such as:

You're watching the phone, waiting to hear if you got that job. You're sitting in the audience as your daughter starts her first piano recital. You're waiting for the daily e-mail from your deployed spouse.

You're walking through the mall, still trying to get used to crowds after deployment.

These can all be stressful situations. Stress is a part of everyday life for service members, veterans and families dealing with multiple deployments, homecomings and all the other demands of a military life.

Take a deep breath ...

How can TriCare help you be healthy, wealthy and wise? In this article you will learn how to:

• Work with your primary care manager to keep your health in check
• Protect your wallet from unnecessary out-of-pocket expenses
• Make your specialty appointments more quickly.

Stress is a natural part of life. Kids, spouses, parents -- the combination of family, holidays, deployments and homecomings can add up and start to affect your everyday life. Fortunately, TriCare counseling is ready when you are.

TriWest online care: assistance 24/7

The TriCare Assistance Program, or TRIAP, offers a 24/7 option for private, one-to-one online counseling (chat or videoconference) that can work around your busy schedule. TRIAP counseling is available in the U.S.