Dependents’ off-base care on Okinawa to be billed to Tricare

[unhappycamper]

Dependents’ off-base care on Okinawa to be billed to Tricare
By Vince Little, Stars and Stripes
Pacific edition, Thursday, September 25, 2008

TORII STATION, Okinawa — Military dependents on Okinawa covered by Tricare will soon be able to receive treatment at off-base hospitals without having to pay up front, Navy officials said Tuesday during an Army Family Action Plan steering committee meeting.

U.S. Naval Hospital officials from Camp Lester said the new agreement with prefectural medical facilities goes into effect Oct. 1.

The delayed billing process already is in place for active-duty servicemembers.

The panel said costly major procedures had led to financial hardships. In some cases, military members obtained expensive loans or took out second mortgages to make payments before insurance could kick in.

Under the new plan, military family members can get care at prefectural hospitals and the debt will be settled through Tricare, Navy officials said.


Rest of article at: http://www.stripes.com/article.asp?section=104&article=57628

[Catch22Dem]

1. Interesting

I can remember many a drunken night way up north at Okuma thinking, "shit it's a long way to Lester from here, we better settle down." HAHAHA. Usually, every night started out with the same statement, "no Lester runs tonight."

All kidding aside, this is a good move. When you need care, especially emergency care, you don't want to have to go all the way to Lester if you're not close.