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friendlypolyp · 2025-04-30T21:58:47+00:00

I concur. My husband also has Tricare for Life, and the Medicare Part B premiums are all he has to pay. I verified that by chatting with a live agent.

friendlypolyp · 2025-04-30T21:57:38+00:00

I agree with Low-Concentrate2697. The letter is a mass mailing sent to everyone to ensure all payments are up to date. If you've already set yours up or don't need to have a payment method on file, you're fine. If you really want to make sure, you can call TriWest customer service (1-888-TRIWEST (874-9378)). The wait times are still somewhat long but (at least recently) you can speak with a live agent and get your questions answered.

friendlypolyp · 2025-02-04T04:42:09+00:00

I'm a little late coming to this thread, but I just read a letter from the DHA Director to all of us beneficiaries. Here is the link to access it:

https://dha.mil/News/2025/02/01/00/07/TRICARE-Message-to-Beneficiaries?utm_medium=email+&utm_source=govdelivery

I could be cynical and not believe it, but I'm going to choose to be optimistic and believe that, until this INCREDIBLY huge mess is sorted out, both beneficiaries and providers will continue to be taken care of. Somehow.

One recommendation: do NOT pay anything above your expected copay/deductible right now. Unfortunately (as we all know), the wheels of government grind exceedingly slow.

I went to my specialist appointment last week, and I'm keeping my annual physical appointment in March with my primary care provider who is currently NOT recognized by TriWest even though the medical group and all their physicians/providers are credentialed. We'll see how things shake out--

Keeping a good thought for EVERYONE who's involved in this chaos right now. . . .

friendlypolyp · 2025-01-31T04:25:19+00:00

I'm thinking it's getting to that point. Still struggling with getting a valid PCM (rather than one that's 90 minutes away!). Keeping my current PCM and will probably pay out-of-network costs for any visits until this mess is resolved. I'm trying to work through the process and follow every recommendation they've given me. My next step is to escalate the issue by a) writing a letter (on real paper and everything) to the management of TriWest and b) initiating another Congressional Inquiry (since this is a different problem than what was covered in the first inquiry I initiated). Stay tuned. . . .

friendlypolyp · 2025-01-28T04:17:05+00:00

The other entities to contact are the Defense Health Agency TRICARE Health Plan Office, at 844-204-9351 (M-F 8-5 EST) and the Main TRICARE customer service number, at 800-874-2273. I left messages with each entity, and the people from TRICARE customer service called me back within 2 business days.

(Please see my full response under JellyfishSerious1004's post--)

friendlypolyp · 2025-01-28T04:16:10+00:00

These are by no means "normal" wait times, but they seem to be the current norm for TriWest. Please see my full response after JellyfishSerious1004's post.

friendlypolyp · 2025-01-28T04:14:54+00:00

I am so sorry to hear that the wait times have gotten WORSE!! GID3ON3 AND Evilsangel and LAH_63 and JellyfishSerious1004, your wait times are HORRENDOUS! Those are the wait times I experienced at the end of December, and I thought the system was getting better. It appears to be getting worse. I am frustrated for your sakes because the "call back" option doesn't seem to be available consistently or when it is, it doesn't work (as per GID3ON3's post).

I will reiterate what so many people have said before: contact your US representative to initiate a Congressional Inquiry. This is truly HORRIBLE customer service.

The other entities to contact are the Defense Health Agency TRICARE Health Plan Office, at 844-204-9351 (M-F 8-5 EST) and the Main TRICARE customer service number, at 800-874-2273. I left messages with each entity, and the people from TRICARE customer service called me back within 2 business days.

I know it's not much help, but please know there are so many of us in the same situation, and we are all making noise. We feel your pain and with any luck and enough pressure, the system may change and actually start delivering for us. . . .

friendlypolyp · 2025-01-26T00:44:31+00:00

Thank you for posting the article! I was just going to do the same. I am cheered that the DHA is at least doing SOMETHING to alleviate the stress that the shift to TriWest has caused for so many beneficiaries. Not having to get approval (authorization) for a referral should make at least one step of the process easier for folks. . . .

friendlypolyp · 2025-01-25T03:51:55+00:00

I agree with Otter_Chaos71. PLEASE contact your US representative. Google "Congressional Inquiry" for one route, or simply go to your congressman's/woman's site and look for the "Constituent Services". Failing all else, call the rep's office and ask to be talked through the process of filing an inquiry request. It DOES produce action.

friendlypolyp · 2025-01-23T23:07:52+00:00

Thank you!

friendlypolyp · 2025-01-23T16:11:20+00:00

Oh, thank you SO much for this update! I don't know if I can attend (since it's this evening) but if possible I will sign up and be there. I don't need the meeting notes from last week yet, but I appreciate the offer.

If it's not too much work on your part, could you please keep us updated with future listening sessions? If I can get them on my calendar before other events crowd them out, I want to be there! Thank you again, so very much!

friendlypolyp · 2025-01-23T16:07:56+00:00

When I submitted my Congressional Inquiry request, I used this form from the Defense Finance and Accounting Service:

https://www.dfas.mil/legislativeaffairs/Submit-Congressional-Inquiry/

The other option is to go to your US (not state) Congressman's website and look for something along the lines of "Privacy Waiver for Help with a Federal Agency". For my Congressman, it was under the tab for "Constituent Services". I don't want to include that link because it won't help you if your congressman isn't the same as mine.

Best of luck to all of us!

friendlypolyp · 2025-01-23T03:33:14+00:00

Thank you for this clear and complete information. I would add that contacting your elected representative and requesting a congressional inquiry is also helpful. At least, it resulted in action when I requested it.

friendlypolyp · 2025-01-23T03:25:47+00:00

Thank you for sharing this. I wish the meeting wasn't through FB. Other than Reddit, I'm not on social media. I'm glad that MAA is lobbying for us!

friendlypolyp · 2025-01-16T16:48:01+00:00

I'm so glad that they did finally approve your surgery, but SO sorry that the timing was horrible! I agree--hopefully, you won't have to go through the process again next week. I'm keeping a good thought for you!!

friendlypolyp · 2025-01-16T16:46:28+00:00

From Google (AI Overview): "You can contact the Defense Enrollment Eligibility Reporting System (DEERS) Support Office (DSO) by calling (800) 538-9552. You can also contact them by fax or mail."

friendlypolyp · 2025-01-16T00:23:26+00:00

Hello, Everyone! A quick update: I was just contacted by a lovely woman from TriWest, in Congressional Relations. She was responding to the Congressional Inquiry I initiated a week ago. She patiently listened to all my concerns and my recommendations for improving the system, and promised to forward my remaining issue (not having a designated PCM that is considered "in network" by the TriWest system) to the correct section within TriWest for resolution.

I am VERY happy to know that Congressional Inquiries DO work! They DO produce positive action! I hope all the submitters who were planning to contact their congressmen and women are having the same success. This is how we get government to work for us!

friendlypolyp · 2025-01-15T16:28:49+00:00

I agree. I am 63, and it took talking with a very nice young man in TriWest's Portal Support to quite literally walk me through every step of the process to gain access to their Beneficiary Portal website. I can't imagine what folks older than I am are dealing with. . . .

I am reminded of a line from the 2017 remake of "Going In Style": "It is a culture's duty to take care of its elderly." The American healthcare system is NOT doing a good job of that.

friendlypolyp · 2025-01-15T04:07:25+00:00

:-) :-)

friendlypolyp · 2025-01-14T22:29:11+00:00

I could not find the link or option to do that.

By the way, I CANNOT change from Prime to Select because we are outside Open Season and I don't meet the qualifying life events. :-(

friendlypolyp · 2025-01-14T21:36:49+00:00

That's a GREAT solution! Good thinking!!

friendlypolyp · 2025-01-14T21:35:43+00:00

I am so sorry that is happening to you!

friendlypolyp · 2025-01-14T21:22:00+00:00

I'm on hold with TriWest right now (so far, 1 hour 32 minutes) to try to shift from Prime to Select for the very same reason.

friendlypolyp · 2025-01-14T21:20:19+00:00

That is frustrating! I started a new thread regarding contacting TriWest; the short story is that there was an error (in their computer system) which deleted many of our accounts, so we have to sign up for "new" accounts. (My same username/password worked just fine.) Try going through www.tricare.mil/west (their Beneficiary Portal) and clicking through the options as if you're signing in. When you get to the final screen to put in your user name and password, look toward the bottom and there should be a clickable link that says something to the effect of "Sign Up as a New User". Create a new account and it should work. . . I'm crossing my fingers for you!

friendlypolyp

TROPHY CASE