Dear Bureaupat,

I'm a current civilian employee in the DoD. I am also retired from active duty and get my health care through TRICARE Prime. Is there any advantage for me to sign up with the federal employee health benefit program?

Dear Covered,

First, thanks for your service and congratulations on your retirement and decision to come back into public service as a federal employee.

Having the option of choosing from two healthcare benefit systems makes you the envy of others. Life is good for you! There is really no need to pay for both.

For those readers unfamiliar with TRICARE, it’s a health benefit program for beneficiaries from the seven uniformed services. Eligibility is complex but it is generally provided to active duty service members, their families, and retirees like you.

Specifically, TRICARE Prime is a health maintenance organization (HMO) health care plan where beneficiaries must choose a primary care physician and obtain referrals and authorizations for specialty care. The Federal Employees Health Benefits (FEHB) program offers eligible employees and their family members a menu of choices, including HMOs, PPOs, and point-of-service plans.

You will find the annual enrollment for TRICARE PRIME and its copayments are much less that most FEHB health care choices. See out of pocket example below.

Of course there are other things to consider than just cost. Before the next open season you may want to look closely at the FEHB plans available in your area. They might cover services that TRICARE does not, or allow you to see providers that are not part of the TRICARE network. 

Bottom line: You are in a great position. If you're happy with the TRICARE service, then stay where you are. If not, you have another option with FEHB.

Yours in Gov,

Bureaupat