Civilian Insurance VS. Tricare

[CatfishVT9]

A question for any of you retired guys out there. I just got hired by AirTran and was looking at their health insurance to see if it would be good to get as a supplement to what Tricare Standard pays out. If I read it correctly, costs are about $300 a month, so I don't see that being a valuable option.

Any thoughts on whether I should pursue additional ins. or just go without? I'm married, 1 child (teenager), all good health.

Thanks,
Catfish

 

[Hdawg]

I am not retired but I dropped papers and my wife used to work for Tricare(humana) so here is what I've seen. Tricare is Tricare... if your in a good region with a good well staffed office I would get a suppl. from USAA, TROA, Etc. If you have had problems in the past, they probably won't change. I used to be in the panhandle of FL and the retired guys were pissed with the service they were getting...

Maybe try tricare for a year or so then take the insurance from AT. Bottom line Tricare is just a gov't contract run by the DoD.

 

[DJSewell]

Catfish,

I am retired Navy at AirTran and only use Tricare for medical. I use AirTran Dental plan though because I think it is better than the Navy's plan. BTW I flew T-44s in the Navy for 2 and half years at VT-28. Good luck at AirTran and if your on the 717 hope to see you in IOE.

 

[Hoot R. Hunter]

Been using Tricare Prime as a retiree for about 3 years. Its been working out fairly well so far. It seems the further away you get from the "military towns", there are fewer doctors that accept it. This is the case with me, although I was lucky to find a general practicioner within 10 miles or so. I have had to drive an hour or so for specialists. There is a distance limit, not quite sure but it might be 60 miles. Outside of this, and you get to go to someone closer and still just pay the normal copay. There is a Tricare website and it allows you to pull up participating doctors in your area. I don't use the retiree dental plan.

Good Luck!

 

[skiddriver]

Using Tricare prime as our medical for the family - $460 a year for a wife and 2 kids. Works for us because we live 5 minutes from the Navy Clinic which is our primary care provider. Comair was more expensive, and I can get our meds free at the Navy clinic pharmacy, small copay at Walgreens. We use the company dental which is much cheaper than the govt plan with much better benefits. Get the specifics from your job and enroll as necessary, just remember that Tricare is an annual enrollment and you can't jump back and forth easily.

Good luck and Semper fi.

 

[Kevin Styer]

I've been retired 5 yrs. Have been using Tricare, and civilian medical. Tricare saved my butt when my civilian medical company refused to pay a claim because of a technicallity. $460 a year is cheap.

 

[jointops]

Catfish,

JB medical was way more expensive than Tricare. Part of the reasoning is that it's much more difficult to get affordable medical insurance for small companies vs. Delta, United, etc.

We use Tricare standard (I can't stand waiting 4 weeks for an appointment and having to use the appointment phone system at the military hospitals). We use a supplemental insurance for medical as well. In the long run, it winds up still being cheaper than JetBlue insurance. However, we do use the JB dental insurance. It's got better coverage when you start comparing crown costs, braces, filllings, etc. than military dental.

Basically, I've just reiterated what everyone else wrote. Sorry. Must get out to fly more often.

Happy landings

 

[CatfishVT9]

Thanks to everyone for the replies. I think we'll just keep using the Tricare Standard and look for an insurance supplement to help out for anything major that might happen.Catfish

 

[SNIZ]

SWA Health Benefits vs. Tricare

How about Southwest's health insurance vs. Tricare? I've had some different opinions offered from ex-military folks flying for SWA now. Thx.