ALCOAST 064/18 - FEB 2018 TRICARE RESERVE SELECT (TRS) POLICY CHANGE

R 151230 FEB 18
FM COMDT COGARD WASHINGTON DC//CG-11/CG-13//
TO ALCOAST
UNCLAS //N06010//
ALCOAST 064/18
COMDTNOTE 6010
SUBJ:  TRICARE RESERVE SELECT (TRS) POLICY CHANGE
A. TRICARE Operations Manual (TOM), 6010.56-M
1. This ALCOAST announces changes to the TRICARE Reserve Select (TRS) policy regarding
disenrollment and reinstatement of coverage. This policy change went into effect on
01 Jan 2018.
2. The TRICARE Reserve Select (TRS) Program is available for qualified Selected Reserve
members and their families. Qualified members are those who are not on active duty
orders, not covered under the Transitional Assistance Management Program, and not
eligible for or enrolled in the Federal Employees Health Benefits Program. TRS requires
the member to pay a monthly premium and only covers health and vision benefits, not
dental or pharmacy benefits.
3. Under a new DoD policy effective 01 Jan 2018, and in accordance with REF (A),
TRS members who are delinquent in paying their monthly premiums will be disenrolled
and will no longer have the option of seeking "new" TRS enrollment if the reinstatement
request is received by the regional contractor more than 90 calendar days from the last
paid-through date. A contractor shall apply a TRS purchase lockout for the Reserve
Component member and/or family members and/or survivors whose coverage is terminated
for failure to make a payment. The lockout shall be for a period of 12 months from the
effective date of termination. If a lockout is in place, the contractor may accept and
process requests up to 90 calendar days before the end of the 12 month lockout period
for new coverage to begin after the 12 month lockout period ends.
4. TRS coverage reinstatements are handled directly by the regional contractor and not
by the TRICARE Regional Offices (TRO) or the Defense Health Agency. The contractor for
the West Region is Health Net and can be reached at 1-844-866-9378 and their website is
www.tricare-west.com. The contractor for the East Region is Humana Military and can be
reached at 1-800-444-5445 and their website is www.tricare-east.com. The contractor for
members stationed overseas is International SOS and their website is:
www.tricare-overseas.com for country specific toll-free numbers. To be considered for
reinstatement members must ensure their request:
     a. If received by the contractor or postmarked within 90 calendar days of the
last-paid-through date;
     b. Includes premium payments from the last paid-through-date through the current month,
plus the amount for the following two months (to include any administrative fees); and
     c. Includes information to establish recurring electronic premium payments
(recurring credit card (RCC) or electronic funds transfer (EFT)).
5. Failure to meet any of these 3 requirements will result in no reinstated coverage and
the contractor shall reject and return incomplete requests along with any incorrect premium
payments to the member, within 10 business days, with an explanation of what is needed for
the contractor to accept the application for processing.
6. To avoid disenrollment from TRS and being locked out of TRS for 12 months, it is critical
to ensure your financial information is accurate, and all of your contact information is
current and updated in the Defense Enrollment Eligibility Reporting System (DEERS) and
MilConnect.
7. Members can update their contact information by doing any of the following:
     a. Log into MilConnect https://milconnect.dmdc.osd.mil/milconnect/
     b. Call (800) 538-9552; TTY/TDD: (866) 363-2883
     c. Visit any RAPIDS site https://www.dmdc.osd.mil/rsl/appj/site
     d. Fax updates to (831) 655-8317
     e. Mail updates to: Defense Manpower Data Center Support Office, Attn: COA,
400 Gigling Road, Seaside, CA 93955-6771 Note: Addresses must be a physical address;
P.O. boxes cannot be used.
8. POC for TRS policy is LCDR Preston Hieb at (703) 681-8716, Preston.J.Hieb.mil@mail.mil.
9. RADM Erica G. Schwartz, Director, Health, Safety, and Work-Life, and
RDML Andrew S. McKinley, Director, Reserve and Military Personnel Policy, send.
10. Internet release authorized.