Active Duty Service Member On Leave & Need Medical Care? Here's What To Do
There are a number of benefits given to active duty members of the United States military. One of the benefits is health care. Active duty service members are automatically enrolled in TRICARE and are able to get medical care on any military base. But what about when they come down with a non-life-threatening illness or injury while on leave or en route to their next destination? Here's what you need to know if you are active duty military or the parent of an active duty service member.
Important note: If you are experiencing a life-threatening medical emergency, call 911 or have someone take you to the nearest emergency room.
Coverage depends on the type of TRICARE you have
There are a number of different TRICARE plans, and each has different stipulations regarding care outside of military bases and military hospitals. Call the number listed on your TRICARE card to find out what the specifics are for getting medical care while traveling as well as a list of hospitals and urgent care facilities at your current location that accept TRICARE.
Call the TRICARE nurse advice line
If you are ill or injured and need medical care while on leave or en route to your next duty assignment, call the nurse advice line to help you determine whether an emergency room or an urgent care facility is more appropriate for your particular needs. If you call after urgent care hours, the nurse adviser will also be able to help you determine whether or not you need immediate medical attention or if you can wait until a local urgent care facility is open.
Submit paperwork for reimbursement
if you are required to make an up-front payment for medical care, obtain receipts and submit them for reimbursement. If the medical care provider sends you any bills in the future, you can also submit those claims to your TRICARE claims processor.
Contact your chain of command
You will need to contact your chain of command to keep them abreast of your medical status, especially if your medical condition or injury will prohibit you from returning to your unit or continuing en route to your next duty assignment. When you contact your chain of command, ask them for a fax number. Then have the medical care provider who attended to you send your chain of command documentation of your medical visit and treatment, especially if you will experience a delay in your travels.
If you are like most people, you probably try to avoid the doctor until seeing them is absolutely necessary. But waiting too long to see the doctor could negatively affect your health and cause even more damage as time goes on, so it's important to know when to see the doctor and when it's safe and effective to treat yourself at home. This blog is filled with tips and advice that should help make the decision of whether or not to see a doctor easier. You'll also find natural do-it-yourself treatment options for common health problems that you might experience throughout your lifetime.