[Sarah0518]

My husband is full time miltary at a very small base. Because of it's small size there is no medical officesat the base. We have insurance through theTricare Prime Remote. It works much like an HMO, letting us see doctors closer to us.

We have just been chosen by a potential birth mother whose due date is in 2 weeks. I am hoping there's someone else out there that has Tricare Prime Remote that can give me pointers? I've visited the Tricare website, but some information is hard to understand and somewhat contradictory.

Does Tricare cover hospital expenses related to the birth for mother and child?

What doctor visits for the baby in period between ustaking him home and the adoption being finalized (approx 1 month)?

When do we add him to the DEERS system as our dependant? Once we take him home, or after the adoption is finalized?

Any and all help/advise is appreciated. My husband's base is so small, the personnel department are VERY uninformed about simple things, much less this.

[BrandyHagz]

Does Tricare cover hospital expenses related to the birth for mother and child?

Tricare covers the medical charges for the child only. Generally, you will let them know you are a Tricare participant, they will take your husbands sponser info, and then submit it for payment. Its important to get in DEERS and submit your Tricare application ASAP (Birthday would be best, or the first day of business after the birth)

What doctor visits for the baby in period between ustaking him home and the adoption being finalized (approx 1 month)?

I'm not 100% sure I understand what you are trying to say here. Basicly, you will have a power of attorney, you will have to send a copy of that, along with the TCPR application to the Tricare Service Center that services your region. Once they recieve that, you will get a card for the baby with his/her name on it and the sponsers info. Best way to handle this is call your PCP or the PCP you are going to use, and tell them your situation...they can bill Tricare for services, just like they do when you go to the Dr. Tricare accepts fax's for applications, and generally get them entered pretty fast. I suggest you have EVERYTHING filled out and ready for faxing on the birthday.

When do we add him to the DEERS system as our dependant? Once we take him home, or after the adoption is finalized?

Same thing here as above. You will have a PoA listing you as his legal guardians. At that time, you will have him/her put into DEERS. Its important to remember that Tricare cant add him/her if he isnt in DEERS first. So, make sure your husbands command gets that done ASAP. Or call the service center and ask them how to go about getting it done.

My husband's base is so small, the personnel department are VERY uninformed about simple things, much less this.

I dont think it really matters what size base your on...lol, generally, they are all pretty much very uninofmred LOL

I dont know what branch your husband is in, I am only familiar with the way the Marine Corps handles things...which also pretty much applies to the Navy also. I hope its the same with you..if you have any questions, feel free to ask away.

[tobeafamily]

Good advice, Brandy. A few "pointers"

1. Your child will become eligible for benefits at the time you are named legal guardians - generally, after their biological parents' rights have been terminated. They will NOT cover any services prior to this date.

Depending on the laws of your state, there may be a required waiting period before bparents can relinquish their rights and you can be named guardians. Until that time, fiscal responsibility for the child's care remains with the biological parents.

Make sure when you go to DEERS that you have the child added as a PREADOPTIVE WARD. This is very important as it's a special category of legal guardian. Otherwise, they'll have you fill out the standard 'ward' paperwork which is irrelevant and unnecessary.

Once your adoption is finalized, bring your decree back to DEERS and they'll convert your child's status to 'child' from 'preadoptive ward'.

This might come in handy:

http://www.tricare.osd.mil/policy/fy96/benef57.html

Once the child is in DEERS, you'll be able to receive coverage for their medical visits simply by presenting your ID card. Since you're enrolled in TRICARE Prime Remote, and this is a newborn, you have 30 days from the time of their first eligibility to enroll them as well, duing which they'll receive the same benefits as you. If you don't enroll them by then, they'll be considered TRICARE standard beneficiaries until/unless you enroll them.

While I'd like to say it doesn't matter where you go, it does. Believe it or not, even here in Hampton Roads, VA where there are about 150,000 active duty members there's STILL only one DEERS office that understands eligibility of preadoptive wards and enters it correctly - NAB Little Creek. It's not the biggest base here, either.

Best of luck & congratulations on your connection!

Regina, AMom to Ryan Joshua Thomas