New MARADMIN details increased healthcare benefits for reservists

16 Jun 2004 | Pfc. Bernadette L. Ainsworth U.S. Marine Corps Forces, Pacific

Healthcare coverage for Marine reservists and their dependents has been expanded to cover a wider range of benefits as of May 2004, according to MARADMIN 233/04.

MARADMIN 233/04 corrects erroneous information from MARADMIN 205/04, released earlier this year, and contains new information.

The new healthcare coverage applies to members of the Selected Marine Corps Reserve, Individual Mobilization Augmentees and Individual Ready Reserve Marines who are activated in support of a contingency operation.  This coverage does not however, apply to members of the Active Reserve.

One of the most significant changes announced in the MARADMIN was the timing of when military members and their families become eligible for Tricare coverage.

Normally, members of the ready reserve and their family members are not eligible for Tricare coverage until the military member has been activated.  Now, members and their families are authorized Tricare coverage starting as early as 60 days prior to a Marine's activation date.

Members notified of their impending activation are urged to continue their existing health and dental coverage for themselves and their family members until they have completed their 31st day of active duty.  This protects against the loss of healthcare coverage in case the member is found not qualified for active duty or is deactivated before 30 days.

Another change included in the MARADMIN concerned healthcare coverage after a member's deactivation date.

Normally, transitional healthcare coverage is limited to 60 or 120 days depending on the member's years of cumulative active service.

However, the period of coverage has been increased to 180 days for those members of the ready reserve activated in support of a

contingency operation for a period of more than 30 days.

Upon deactivation, reservists are automatically disenrolled in DEERS, but can re-enroll both themselves and their family members for the transitional healthcare eligibility.

Reservists are responsible for ensuring that their family members are enrolled in DEERS at a DEERS-RAPIDS (Realtime Automated Personal Identification System) site.  Reservists and their family members may verify their enrollment in DEERS by contacting their local DEERS support office.

Reserve Marines are encouraged to make sure that both their own information and their family's information is updated.  They cannot assume that all the information in the Defense Enrollment Eligibility Reporting System is present and correct.

Reservists and their family members may verify their enrollment by contacting the DEERS support office at 1-800-538-9552.