Question: My husband retired from the military after many years of service. … Our dental insurance is through Tricare (we have other Tricare coverage too but the dental is what I am worried about). … There are many changes coming and we are confused. Can you look into this? Do we have to switch?
Answer: Yes, you must enroll with a new provider or you will not have dental coverage for 2019, said Kevin Dwyer, a Virginia- based spokesman for the Defense Health Agency.
Tricare is the health care program for uniformed U.S. service members, retirees and their families. More than 152,000 Tricare patients live on Oahu, Dwyer said.
As you said, there are significant shifts ahead, but we’ll focus on dental coverage for military retirees since that is the subject of your question.
The Tricare Retiree Dental Program (TRDP) ends on Dec. 31, to be replaced by the Office of Personnel Management’s Federal Employees Dental and Vision Insurance Program (FEDVIP), Dwyer said.
You must enroll in a FEDVIP dental plan during the 2018 Open Season, which lasts Nov. 12 to Dec. 10, if you want dental coverage effective Jan. 1. You’ll also be eligible for vision insurance through FEDVIP.
Your confusion may stem from the fact that TRDP (your current plan), offers coverage through a single insurance carrier, Delta Dental. By contrast, FEDVIP has 10 dental insurers, so you’ll need to compare cost and coverage options before choosing a new plan.
Our quick comparison found 10 dental plans available in Honolulu through FEDVIP. Monthly premiums in 2019 will range from about $53 to $111 for “self plus one,” the category that would fit you and your husband. Delta Dental, your current insurer, is among the carriers, although premium and coverage options may differ from your current plan.
Dwyer emphasized that even though the Tricare Retiree Dental Program is ending, you will not automatically be enrolled in a replacement plan for next year. You must take action during the federal benefits open enrollment to obtain coverage through FEDVIP.
For more information, see tricare.benefeds.com, which is where we found the price comparison tool. Click on the “retirees” icon at the bottom of the page to learn more about the transition.
Teacher website
Technical glitches on the Thank America’s Teachers website have been fixed and voting extended to Nov. 3. No votes were captured before Thursday. Go to 808ne.ws/voteteacher to see the 15 finalists — including three Hawaii public school teachers — and vote for as many as you like. You must enter your email address and click on a confirmation link sent to that address for the vote to count.
Mahalo
To the lady and letter carrier in Kaimuki, mahalo for finding and returning my set of keys on Sept. 25. Upon returning home after my two-hour walk, I panicked when I wanted to open the door. I proceeded to backtrack my route, and saw a letter carrier who noticed I was looking for something on the ground. He asked me what I was looking for. I told him my lost keys and he told me a lady gave him the keys she found near 17th and Maunaloa avenues. Again Mahalo! Lucky man, I am! — Paul
Mahalo
A very sincere and grateful thank-you to Debbie and Donald Vincent for helping me at the airport post office when I was carrying a 15-plus pound box to mail to my grand-dolls. I started to sink to the ground and Debbie quickly summoned her husband, Donald, to run and help me, which he did, saving me from falling. I am eternally grateful for their loving kindness and for staying with me to be sure that I would be safe. May God bless them abundantly. — Love, Nana/Greatnana Grace
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