Effective January 1, 2018, TRICARE will implement new regions and new contractors. Beneficiaries may need to update their payment options to guarantee continued payment of their TRICARE enrollment fees and monthly premiums. Also, beneficiaries will no longer be able to make payments by paper check. Acceptable methods of payment will continue to be allotment, electronic funds transfer and debit or credit cards. Another acceptable method is to sign into your regional contractor's website to make online payments.

Beneficiaries who currently pay enrollment fees or premiums by allotment through a Defense Financing and Accounting Service (DFAS) or other Uniformed Services Pay Center, will NOT need to update their payment information. Payments will automatically transfer to the new regional contractor on January 1, 2018. Unless a beneficiary cancels their allotment, TRICARE will continue to deduct enrollment fees and premiums.

If beneficiaries reside in an area where a NEW regional contractor is delivering services, they need to update their payment information so it goes to the new regional contractor. This applies if a beneficiary currently pays enrollment fees or premiums by electronic funds transfer from their checking or savings account, debit card or credit card. The new regional contractor will contact beneficiaries with instructions on how to update their payment information.

TRICARE has sent out notice that beneficiaries must proactively update their payment information to make sure payments start going to the new regional contactor, NOT to the old regional contractor. This action will help avoid TRICARE disenrollment.

Are you ready for the upcoming TRICARE changes? The best way to prepare is to update your information in DEERS, sign up for TRICARE benefit updates and visit   https://tricare.mil/changes

Source: FRA NewsBytes Oct 20, 2017