MOAA continues oversight of the TRICARE Select enrollment fee implementation process by collecting member feedback and highlighting potential trouble spots to the Defense Health Agency (DHA) for corrective action.

Thanks to information from MOAA’s Surviving Spouse Advisory Council, we recently alerted DHA that some surviving spouses were mistakenly allowed to request allotments from Survivor Benefit Plan (SBP) payments. The pay center that handles SBP payments to survivors has never accepted allotment requests, so regional contractors have been directed to contact impacted survivors and ensure that necessary corrections are made to their websites and call scripts, and that call centers and enrollment and billing associates have accurate information on the topic.

Please note that survivors of active duty deaths are not subject to the new TRICARE Select enrollment fee. The fee also will not affect TRICARE for Life beneficiaries, active duty family members, and those medically retired.

[RELATED: What to Do If You’ve Been Disenrolled From TRICARE Select]

MOAA encourages all beneficiaries to verify their TRICARE Select enrollment fees have been paid by logging into your TRICARE account on your regional contractor’s website or calling your contractor for assistance.

Contractors are conducting targeted outreach to beneficiaries who have not paid the enrollment fee or need to correct their method of payment. If your regional contractor calls, emails, or sends you a letter stating your enrollment fee has not been paid, please contact them as soon as possible to verify your enrollment status, even if you believe you have set up an allotment or other form of payment.

[RELATED: MOAA’s 2020-21 TRICARE Guide]

Fearing many retirees would not get the news about the new Select enrollment fee, MOAA successfully pressed for an extension to the reinstatement period for those disenrolled due to failure to pay the fee. MOAA will continue to monitor enrollment levels and will advocate for future extensions to ensure no retiree is locked out of TRICARE because they did not learn about the new enrollment fee requirement.