TRICARE Unveils New Extended Care Health Option
 

Since 08-25-05

From: Waspscpo@aol.com [mailto:Waspscpo@aol.com]
Sent: Thursday, August 25, 2005 12:28 PM
To: undisclosed-recipients:
Subject:  TRICARE Unveils New Extended Care Health Option 

http://www.tricare.osd.mil/echo/default.cfm



TRICARE Unveils New Extended Care Health Option

August 24, 2005
No. 05-24 TRICARE’s Extended Care Health Option (ECHO) will be available for beneficiaries of Active Duty Family Members (ADFMs) with defined qualifying conditions on Sept. 1, 2005.

Beneficiaries who currently receive care through the Program for Persons with Disabilities (PFPWD) and do not qualify for ECHO will continue receipt of care through TRICARE program options—Prime, Extra or Standard.

This new program will deliver financial assistance and additional benefits, including supplies and services, beyond those available within TRICARE Prime, TRICARE Standard or TRICARE Extra. The ECHO benefit also increases the monthly government cost share from $1,000 (through PFPWD) to $2,500 per eligible family member.

Additionally, beneficiaries who are homebound may qualify for extended in-home health care through ECHO. Active Duty Family Members who have one of the following conditions may qualify for ECHO benefits:

 · Moderate or severe mental retardation;

· A serious physical disability; or

· An extraordinary physical or psychological condition of such complexity that the beneficiary is homebound.

Multiple disabilities involving two or more separate body systems may result in a qualifying condition determination. TRICARE ECHO requires all eligible beneficiaries to enroll in the Exceptional Family Member Program (EFMP) of their sponsors’ military service and to register with their regional contractor or Overseas TRICARE Area Office (TAO) to obtain ECHO benefit authorization.

To complete EFMP enrollment, eligible beneficiaries must obtain a DD form 2792 (medical summary) and/or DD form 2792-1 (special education/early intervention summary) and submit the form(s) to their special needs/EFMP coordinator for processing.

Upon completion of enrollment, the sponsor must then show proof of enrollment to the regional contractor for registration into the ECHO program. The Defense Enrollment Eligibility Reporting System will then be updated to indicate the beneficiary is eligible for ECHO.

Beneficiaries must use public funds or programs first to the extent they are available and adequate for TRICARE ECHO benefits related to training, rehabilitation, special education, assistive technology devices, institutional care in private, non-profit, public, state institutions or other medical facilities and if appropriate, transportation to and from such institutions and facilities.

For more information about ECHO benefits, eligibility requirements, updates, and EFMP registration, beneficiaries may refer to the ECHO Fact Sheet, or visit the TRICARE Web site at www.tricare.osd.mil/echo.

Beneficiaries may also call their regional contractor:

TRICARE Regional Office (TRO) North (1-877-874-2273);

TRO South (1-800-444-5445); or

TRO West (1-888-874-9378).

Overseas beneficiaries may call 1-888-777-8343. http://www.tricare.osd.mil/news/2005/news0524.cfm

End