TRICARE Removes Cost Barriers for Preventive and Mental Health
 

TRICARE Removes Cost Barriers for Preventive and Mental Health
RE: VFW Action Corps <vfwac@vfw.org>


TRICARE Removes Cost Barriers for Preventive and Mental Health:

The Department of Defense (DOD) is improving the number of services and cost requirements for TRICARE’s preventive and mental health benefits. These changes, expected to be fully implemented by spring 2017, are being implemented to expand access and reduce financial barriers for beneficiaries. Effective Oct. 3 this year, DOD removed TRICARE limitations on mental health care and made out-of-pocket costs the same as other medical care. These changes improve care such as inpatient mental health and substance abuse admissions, group outpatient mental health visits, outpatient treatment for substance abuse, substance abuse detoxification, treatment of gender dysphoria, family counseling and much more. Beginning January 1, 2017, the expansion of preventive services will go into complete effect. Some of the no-cost services will be expanded to include free genetic counseling for patients who are high-risk for breast cancer, colon cancer screenings/stool DNA testing and laboratory services considered preventive for certain cancers. To learn more about the mental health and substance abuse benefit changes, click here: http://www.tricare.mil/About/News/Ar...09_29_16_MHSUD.
For more information on the preventive health expansion,
click here: http://www.tricare.mil/CoveredServic...entiveServices.

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MyHealtheVet Update:

This week, VA launched an updated version of its MyHealtheVet website to make it more user and mobile friendly. My HealtheVet is designed to help veterans track and manage their VA prescriptions, appointments and health care records. The VFW would like your views on the new design. Please visit www.myhealth.va.gov and tell us what you think by emailing us at vfwac@vfw.org.

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Help A Hero Scholarship Campaign:

Since 2013, the VFW and Sport Clips have helped nearly 600 service members and veterans achieve their educational goals without incurring excessive student loan debt through the “Sport Clips Help A Hero Scholarship.” Now through Veterans Day, you can help further their post-military education goals by making a donation when you get a haircut at one of the more than 1,500 Sport Clips Haircuts locations across the country. Sport Clips will also hold “The Biggest Haircut Day of the Year” on Veterans Day, when participating stores will offer free haircuts to service members and veterans. For more information on the “Sport Clips Help a Hero Scholarship,” visit: www.vfw.org/scholarship.