Tricare!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

Crystal - posted on 01/12/2010

yes but that is how they are they say u child is covered under u whenu have them they wouldnt even let me take her to her one week check up until we had her in tricare so we had to drive and hour to sign her up and since we didnt have her ssn we had to come back when we got it 4 months later are they were going to cancel her tricare and u have to have a referrel for everything they suck
parallel parking i didnt have to do that whe i took mine 8 yrs ago

C. - posted on 12/30/2009

Quoting Joy "the historian":

Sorry your having problems. My dad was in the Army for over 20 years so I was always on his TRICARE when I got married and switched from being under my dad to my husband I did not have any issues. It took me like 10 minutes in the TRICARE office and within days I was switched over no prob. If DEERS has you enrolled there should not be an issue. YOu need to call the patient advocacy line for the military hospital nearest to you for help.

My son has eczema and he is on Zyrtec and we use avenno wash as well as avenno lotion for eczema on him. With any skin allergies you need to make sure to use only free and clear washing powders when doing laundry.DO NOT USE dryer sheets unless they are one of the new free and sensitive ones because dryer sheets admit little nits when used they get on clothes and cause skin irritation which exaberate any skin problems.Zyrtec really helped clear my little guy up.

I'm definitely not trying to be rude or blow you off.. I appreciate you taking the time to reply, but I refuse to repeat myself yet again.. I'm sorry, but I have already answered to pretty much everything you have suggested. Please read above responses In Toto.. Thank you.

JL - posted on 12/27/2009

Sorry your having problems. My dad was in the Army for over 20 years so I was always on his TRICARE when I got married and switched from being under my dad to my husband I did not have any issues. It took me like 10 minutes in the TRICARE office and within days I was switched over no prob. If DEERS has you enrolled there should not be an issue. YOu need to call the patient advocacy line for the military hospital nearest to you for help.



My son has eczema and he is on Zyrtec and we use avenno wash as well as avenno lotion for eczema on him. With any skin allergies you need to make sure to use only free and clear washing powders when doing laundry.DO NOT USE dryer sheets unless they are one of the new free and sensitive ones because dryer sheets admit little nits when used they get on clothes and cause skin irritation which exaberate any skin problems.Zyrtec really helped clear my little guy up.

C. - posted on 12/27/2009

Quoting Elizabeth:

Deers has you enrolled. There should be ZERO issues. My son had eczema as well and it was not fun. The ped made us go through steriod cream and heavy lotions before she would even consider a referal to a derm (which NEVER happened). Get him some Eucerine or off brand heavy salve, as well as Aveno oatmeal bath packets (or the off brand as well). You can get it at any drug store. After you get your mess cleared up the pharm provides their version of Eucerine free of charge per the ped request (Eucerine is EXPENSIVE!!!). But the coloidal outmeal bath and salve until then. Promise it works:)

I have literally tried everything.. Except for the vaseline that I just keep forgetting at the store!!!!!!!!! I cannot believe I keep forgetting that! But I have to run to the store tomorrow, just have to get it then. I use Eucerin on myself, but it's the lotion, not the thick cream. I use Aveeno frag. free lotion and Aveeno Soothing relief cream on my son, but it doesn't work anymore. I started using the Huggies frag. free bath soap.. The only thing I don't like is that it's not creamy.. It's more like the Johnson's Head to Toe just w/o the fragrance. It helps, but a creamy one would be better. I'm thinking of using my shower wash on my son.. I use the Aveeno fragrance free.. I just never thought it would actually work.. But I'm so sick of seeing my son with dry spots all over his poor little body, I'll try just about anything that I may have left out. Oh, and we used Aquaphor.. It made my son's eczema so much worse!!!! And the doctors had given me a steroid cream, but later advised me not to use it very often at all b/c it is a steroid. Kind of at my wits end here.. But my son has an appointment on Jan. 12th, so if nothing works by then, I will have them give us something to try and maybe run some tests on him to figure out what else it could be.

C. - posted on 12/27/2009

Quoting Elizabeth:

Its based on regions. Either way, you are covered by the sound of it. CALL Tricare, as sad as that prospect sounds, and let them know you are covered but are away from assignment. If the ped won't see you on base and they will not refer you then take him to the ER, since Tricare HAS to cover emergency visits. It costs them more$$ for the ER, so pose that to them and see if you will not get some help then. Also, make sure twhat kind of Tricare you do have. Tricare Prime is tricky with certain things. You can down grade and potentially have better access to providers or services, oddly enough. ITs worth a phone call. PLUS, some bases provide transport for medical appointments. Talk to your family advocacy planner or nurse to have them HELP you make a path through the mess. Good Luck!

Eh, I will never call them again.. They never returned my phone calls and never answered when I called. I have always had TRICARE Prime, I will never go to Standard. It's just not worth it to me.. Prime is better. And I have never heard of this base providing transportation at all.. We have been here since I was 5 or 6 years old, never heard that one.. But I'll definitely keep that in mind for other bases. Thanks :)

C. - posted on 12/27/2009

Quoting Elizabeth:

Its based on regions. Either way, you are covered by the sound of it. CALL Tricare, as sad as that prospect sounds, and let them know you are covered but are away from assignment. If the ped won't see you on base and they will not refer you then take him to the ER, since Tricare HAS to cover emergency visits. It costs them more$$ for the ER, so pose that to them and see if you will not get some help then. Also, make sure twhat kind of Tricare you do have. Tricare Prime is tricky with certain things. You can down grade and potentially have better access to providers or services, oddly enough. ITs worth a phone call. PLUS, some bases provide transport for medical appointments. Talk to your family advocacy planner or nurse to have them HELP you make a path through the mess. Good Luck!

Eh, I will never call them again.. They never returned my phone calls and never answered when I called. I have always had TRICARE Prime, I will never go to Standard. It's just not worth it to me.. Prime is better. And I have never heard of this base providing transportation at all.. We have been here since I was 5 or 6 years old, never heard that one.. But I'll definitely keep that in mind for other bases. Thanks :)

Elizabeth - posted on 12/26/2009

Oh, and post baby blank outs are so totally normal. My son is almost three and I stop midsentence and forget where I was going with my thought ALL the time. We, as mommies, are so busy and tired and our minds are going a mile a minute that it just happens when you try you make a complete thought out loud! It is normal. Its fatigue. Your body just went through a lot and well it used up some of the goods:) Smile! You are now a Mommy!!!

Elizabeth - posted on 12/26/2009

Deers has you enrolled. There should be ZERO issues. My son had eczema as well and it was not fun. The ped made us go through steriod cream and heavy lotions before she would even consider a referal to a derm (which NEVER happened). Get him some Eucerine or off brand heavy salve, as well as Aveno oatmeal bath packets (or the off brand as well). You can get it at any drug store. After you get your mess cleared up the pharm provides their version of Eucerine free of charge per the ped request (Eucerine is EXPENSIVE!!!). But the coloidal outmeal bath and salve until then. Promise it works:)

Elizabeth - posted on 12/26/2009

Its based on regions. Either way, you are covered by the sound of it. CALL Tricare, as sad as that prospect sounds, and let them know you are covered but are away from assignment. If the ped won't see you on base and they will not refer you then take him to the ER, since Tricare HAS to cover emergency visits. It costs them more$$ for the ER, so pose that to them and see if you will not get some help then. Also, make sure twhat kind of Tricare you do have. Tricare Prime is tricky with certain things. You can down grade and potentially have better access to providers or services, oddly enough. ITs worth a phone call. PLUS, some bases provide transport for medical appointments. Talk to your family advocacy planner or nurse to have them HELP you make a path through the mess. Good Luck!

C. - posted on 12/26/2009

Yes, I know I need to contact my Senator.. Just trying to remember is the hard part :/ Seriously, it seems like ever since I got pregnant with my son (who will be 18m in 2 days) I have a hard time remembering anything.. Even if I write it down. Why?? B/c I forget to look at the paper!! I am being totally serious about that, too.. I don't want to see what it will be like if I have any more children.. My thyroid has been checked already. According to the doctors, I have no thyroid issues.. I'll start doing that with my son, though. Thanks for the info.

Stacie - posted on 12/24/2009

Call your Congressman and your Senators that's what they're good for ... oh and spending other people's money ...oops did I write that?? Eczema??? I've had it my whole life and finally found out that it can be related to thyroid disease(hypo not hyper) although the Endocrinologist at Walter Reed refused to treat me, I see one at Washington Hospital Center instead. Tough to diagnose but a good one to have in the back of your mind.... You may have it too ... if you have a basal body thermometer you can do a check for yourself by taking your temp every morning before getting up(same time) and charting it for a month. If your temp drops to or below 98.2 then there is a high probability that you're hypo thyroid...

C. - posted on 12/23/2009

Oh no.. It had nothing to do with DEERS.. Just TRICARE. I went down there today and got it fixed.. Every time I had called, I got their answering machine. Since the first time I left a message and they never called me back, I refused to leave a message again. But everything is fixed!!! I got my son an appointment for January 12!! And I was also able to call for a referral for my appointment! I am just so glad that I don't have to deal with that for a little while :) Thank you all for posting!

Katie - posted on 12/23/2009

Did you update your DEERS?? I know when we move we have to update all of our information like where we live and where we are stationed. Than for Tricare you can get the paperwork online to print out and mail in to the tricare if they can not do it over the phone. Good Luck!

Robyn - posted on 12/23/2009

Tricare is fun isn't it? I had a similar thing happen when we moved from one region to the region my father in law happened to live in. He was military at one time, and they kept telling me that my husband wasn't in DEERS only my father in law. At the time my husband had been in 8 years and we had never had an issue like that before. I had to drive 2 hours to the nearest base to get it fixed and pay out of pocket for an urgent care visit for my son ( who was the reason for the phone call in the first place). That was 8 years ago...hasn't gotten much better. My favorite now is I am fighting with them because they denied a claim saying I have Medicare....Ok I am neither old enough nor diabled so I don not have Medicare and I never have. Tricare blamed it on DEERS and told me they couldn't fix it. I called DEERS and they said there had never been a notation in my file that I have Medicare. At least the guy was nice enough to call Triwest while I was on the line and ask them what was going on. The all of a sudden "someone must have made a mistake processing the claim....it is fine now". Anyway, good luck with getting it fixed. Make sure you write down names and the time you called so you have a paper trail of who you spoke to.

Misty - posted on 12/23/2009

Okay first up I completely understand about Tricare. At times it is stupid. My husband has been in the Army for 14 years. I took my twins to the doc and was told we needed referrals. What since when????? Anyway I didnt go anywhere and fix it, I called tricare. Have you or your Husband call tricare see if that works versus running to the base. most time the phone call straighten things out. Good Luck!!

C. - posted on 12/23/2009

Thank you, Ladies!!!! I really appreciate the advice and encouragement!

C. - posted on 12/23/2009

Quoting D'Ann:

Tricare can be a nightmare! what is it they think can be done at the base when everything is now handled thru a central area according to the region you are in. Be sure you take names, dates and times. Be sure and ask if the person you are talking to has a number, jsut in case the convienently don't work there anymore after you feel you are making headway.
As far as the eczema, it could be tied to island life, my youngest 2 had it while we lived on okinawa but they seemed to have outgrown it. You can buy generic lotion for lubriderm that is really good, steer clear of any with perfumes in it! Winter seems to be worse, so pray for a short one. A humidifier may be helpful for dry witner air.
Never heard of an 18mth check up but it surely isn't a bad thing. good luck

It's not tied to island life.. At least not for my son. He had it since he was a newborn, my son and I didn't join my husband in Hawaii until my son was almost 5 months old and we left the island when my son was 13 1/2 months old b/c my husband was due to deploy soon. I think in my son's case it's hereditary since several of my family members have it, including myself. I've tried just about everything for it, but I have yet to try vaseline (in the tub).. Which I actually forgot to pick up today at the store, so I have to get it tomorrow. Do you know where I can get a cheap humidifier?? The ones I have seen are more than $20 or $30 and I don't exactly have that at this time.. If not, I'll just have to wait until the second week of January to get one. Well the doctor in Hawaii wanted to do a 15 month checkup, but we couldn't get one scheduled when we got out here due to TRICARE being stupid :) But my sisters said that their children's Ped's (one is in SC, one is in NC) do both 15mth and 18mth checkups. I don't know why, my mom said that when we were little they did 18mth checkups and said that after a year, they usually do every 6 months until 2 years, after 2 years it's one checkup every year. 

I have pretty much given up on calling them. I'm going down there tomorrow.. I went today, but I was literally 2 minutes late!!!! They had JUST locked the doors! I was so mad.. But I am definitely going tomorrow.. Which reminds me.. I need to go take a shower while my son's asleep for the night, b/c I know I won't be able to take one tomorrow.. Goodnight!

Joy - posted on 12/22/2009

I just wanted to tell you that no matter what you do, Tricare will always find some reason to give you a problem. Good luck, I hope this works out for you soon.

D'Ann - posted on 12/22/2009

Tricare can be a nightmare! what is it they think can be done at the base when everything is now handled thru a central area according to the region you are in. Be sure you take names, dates and times. Be sure and ask if the person you are talking to has a number, jsut in case the convienently don't work there anymore after you feel you are making headway.

As far as the eczema, it could be tied to island life, my youngest 2 had it while we lived on okinawa but they seemed to have outgrown it. You can buy generic lotion for lubriderm that is really good, steer clear of any with perfumes in it! Winter seems to be worse, so pray for a short one. A humidifier may be helpful for dry witner air.

Never heard of an 18mth check up but it surely isn't a bad thing. good luck

Rhoda - posted on 12/22/2009

I am so sorry it has been so much difficulty and I understand what a pain it is. If there was ever a challenge getting things right with tricare I think I've had it - for the most part, I hate tricare but when it works right it works great - I live for those moments. I'll say a prayer it get fixed sooner than later.

C. - posted on 12/21/2009

Quoting Amanda:

Christina, I wanted to comment on the excezma. My son has REALLY bad. have you tried putting vaseline and cortisone cream on it. if you keep it moist all day and if he has it on his little feet keeps socks with vaseline on his feet. and put the cortisone 2x a day in the morning and at night. and you can also use aquaphor for his skin. i will get the name of the prescription that my son is on for his excezma and will comment back to let you know once I am able to pick up his meds hopefully tomorrow. I also give him Zyrtec because excezma is caused my allergies. I give him zyrtec over the counter once a day and that seems to help with the itching as well

The doctor had given us Aquaphor back in Hawaii.. It made his eczema 10x worse! Within an hour, his skin was bright red, blotchy and itchy, as opposed to it being dry, pink spots that never made him itch at all. I don't think his eczema is caused by allergies. Eczema is also hereditary. I have it, my brother has it, my sister.. And now my son. Everything I had tried before that actually worked, doesn't work anymore. I will not try the Hydrocortisone, though. The first ingredient is Benzyl Alcohol, which dries out the skin even more. My MIL also found this stuff called Corticool (it's like a hydrocortisone gel) for eczema, it too has alcohol as one of the stronger ingredients and he was almost in tears when I put it on him, poor thing. His lotions and creams that used to work also have a type of alcohol in them. I will try the vaseline even though it has alcohol.. I think that is the only thing I have been able to find that has more glycerin-based ingredients that may counteract the alcohol itself. Thanks for the help!!!

C. - posted on 12/21/2009

Quoting Amanda:

Christina, I wanted to comment on the excezma. My son has REALLY bad. have you tried putting vaseline and cortisone cream on it. if you keep it moist all day and if he has it on his little feet keeps socks with vaseline on his feet. and put the cortisone 2x a day in the morning and at night. and you can also use aquaphor for his skin. i will get the name of the prescription that my son is on for his excezma and will comment back to let you know once I am able to pick up his meds hopefully tomorrow. I also give him Zyrtec because excezma is caused my allergies. I give him zyrtec over the counter once a day and that seems to help with the itching as well

The doctor had given us Aquaphor back in Hawaii.. It made his eczema 10x worse! Within an hour, his skin was bright red, blotchy and itchy, as opposed to it being dry, pink spots that never made him itch at all. I don't think his eczema is caused by allergies. Eczema is also hereditary. I have it, my brother has it, my sister.. And now my son. Everything I had tried before that actually worked, doesn't work anymore. I will not try the Hydrocortisone, though. The first ingredient is Benzyl Alcohol, which dries out the skin even more. My MIL also found this stuff called Corticool (it's like a hydrocortisone gel) for eczema, it too has alcohol as one of the stronger ingredients and he was almost in tears when I put it on him, poor thing. His lotions and creams that used to work also have a type of alcohol in them. I will try the vaseline even though it has alcohol.. I think that is the only thing I have been able to find that has more glycerin-based ingredients that may counteract the alcohol itself. Thanks for the help!!!

Lisa - posted on 12/21/2009

Oh and you can't print the paperwork you have to go to the TRICARE office : (

Lisa - posted on 12/21/2009

I don;t really totally understand what is going on but I do know that TRICARE has different regions so ANY time you move from one region to another you have to fill out paperwork for it...stupid yes....I had to switch it 3 times in 18 months because CA, NC, and ME are all in different regions!!

Amanda - posted on 12/21/2009

Christina, I wanted to comment on the excezma. My son has REALLY bad. have you tried putting vaseline and cortisone cream on it. if you keep it moist all day and if he has it on his little feet keeps socks with vaseline on his feet. and put the cortisone 2x a day in the morning and at night. and you can also use aquaphor for his skin. i will get the name of the prescription that my son is on for his excezma and will comment back to let you know once I am able to pick up his meds hopefully tomorrow. I also give him Zyrtec because excezma is caused my allergies. I give him zyrtec over the counter once a day and that seems to help with the itching as well

C. - posted on 12/21/2009

Quoting Rhoda:

Ok, here's some little known facts that might help you. EVERY TIME you change locations you will have to verify and/or update TRICARE, even if you're hubby has done the updates in DEERS (the system that feeds TRICARE info and produces you're ID cards.) The reason for this is because the DEERS updates don't always work. EVERY TIME there are systems updates or patches or fixes done there is a chance that your TRICARE information will get messed up and revert back to a previous status, like no kids, or old location, or, in your case, under your father. It just happens can't help that and, yes, I know, it sucks! Finally, your husband can do a number of TRICARE fixes on-line with his CAAC card through the TRICARE website. There should be a link for TRICARE on his AKO site. If that doesn't do the trick the 1-800 number on the back of your TRICARE card or the one posted on the web-site has been helpful for me in the past. Sometimes they don't want to talk to you if the system has dropped you as his dependent, but usually you can fax them the supporting documentation so they can talk to you and that's Privacy Act stuff. Can't help that either. If that doesn't work, then the hubby has to call or you have to go on base. I've almost always been able to get done what I needed to via the phone, and rarely have I had to involve the husband. Good Luck!

Rhoda.. We had to do absolutely nothing with TRICARE when we moved to Hawaii. I was there when my husband called to schedule my son an appointment, it went right through. I know how DEERS and TRICARE work, I come from a military family. We have never had a problem until I went to switch to my husband's plan.. Ever since then we have had problems. My mom and dad had TRICARE when it was known as CHAMPUS, so they have been dealing with them for a long time. My mom has NEVER had a problem with them up until recently and SHE even thinks it's ridiculous that they are doing this. My mom and (late) dad were in the military starting in the 1970s. My mom knows what she is doing when it comes to TRICARE. They have gone from base to base to base over the years and never once had a problem with them. 

I called the 800 # and put in the extension for the Char. AFB (the nearest base to me). Same thing happened this time that happened last time.. I got the answering machine for the woman at the desk. One time in August I tried calling her and left a message for her to call me back, she never called me back! I left my information (name, husband's last 4, brief description of why I was calling, etc), not one phone call. My husband cannot do anything at this point. The FOB he is at right now, he cannot gain access to certain things.

Thanks, Rhoda. I appreciate you taking the time to reply. I'm going to call back tomorrow (since they are now closed) and try calling all day again. We'll see how that works out.

Rhoda - posted on 12/21/2009

Ok, here's some little known facts that might help you. EVERY TIME you change locations you will have to verify and/or update TRICARE, even if you're hubby has done the updates in DEERS (the system that feeds TRICARE info and produces you're ID cards.) The reason for this is because the DEERS updates don't always work. EVERY TIME there are systems updates or patches or fixes done there is a chance that your TRICARE information will get messed up and revert back to a previous status, like no kids, or old location, or, in your case, under your father. It just happens can't help that and, yes, I know, it sucks! Finally, your husband can do a number of TRICARE fixes on-line with his CAAC card through the TRICARE website. There should be a link for TRICARE on his AKO site. If that doesn't do the trick the 1-800 number on the back of your TRICARE card or the one posted on the web-site has been helpful for me in the past. Sometimes they don't want to talk to you if the system has dropped you as his dependent, but usually you can fax them the supporting documentation so they can talk to you and that's Privacy Act stuff. Can't help that either. If that doesn't work, then the hubby has to call or you have to go on base. I've almost always been able to get done what I needed to via the phone, and rarely have I had to involve the husband. Good Luck!

C. - posted on 12/20/2009

Well, it is partly b/c of my disability actually.. I have Erb's Palsy in my left arm and it's quite hard to steer.. The first time I took my test, all I failed was the parallel parking (that was just b/c I was nervous though).. The second time, the guy was taking off for things that he knew I couldn't do b/c of my disability! I haven't been able to go back b/c the only one that would be able to take me is my mother.. She has been working 10-12 hour days since November, so the DMV is closed by the time she gets home.

My thing is, if I didn't have to change it when I went to Hawaii, why do I have to change it now?? That just doesn't make any sense to me!

Tah - posted on 12/20/2009

let me start saying yes tricare was wrong..but what is up with your license if i may ask..i believe you said you had a disability..is it because of that cause i know it would be easier to fix it if you could be there..transportation seems to be a big problem or it may have been fixed by now..sorry this happened to you...