TRICARE and the new health care bill

Those with TRICARE might want to be aware of this.

The wife is on my TRICARE Prime plan as my dependent (retired military) and has just taken a job as a contractor working for a fed agency. She signed a form opting out of the company provided insurance (Aetna Health). Now the company that hired her is saying that she may not be able to opt-out of it due to the mandate in barrycare!! They are telling her and another employee who also has TRICARE that they may have to pay both co-pays on both insurance plans. While the cost of insurance is supposedly free, the co-pay is $15 which is more than the TRICARE co-pay. Having to pay both means a $27 co-pay for every visit.

We are still trying to find out whether or not TRICARE will either reimburse the co-pay or waive the co-pay. I would think that they would waive it. I am on medicare and have TRICARE as my backup and don't pay any co-pay at all. Hopefully the company is wrong and they both can opt out!

So much for keeping the insurance and doctor you like!! eh barry??

Will update this as we get more info from her company and TRICARE itself.

It's my understanding that the employer will simply need to provide proof that all employees are insured. Otherwise, what would WalMart do with all those employees on MediCare?

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Originally Posted by ReggieMay

It's my understanding that the employer will simply need to provide proof that all employees are insured. Otherwise, what would WalMart do with all those employees on MediCare?

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Yea that was our thoughts as well....told the wife and the other lady to fight it at least to the point of not loosing the employment (she was out of work for 7 1/2 months and the other lady for 4 months). More to come as she tries to move it up the chain...