TRICARE
This whole thing should be no more tricky to use than an Amazon account.
People have been using the web at home for 25 years. Any changes during this time should have been for the purpose of making things more simple, faster, easier, etc.
Not here to say that military benefits are inadequate. Just stick with whatever was offered when people signed up to stay on for multiple tours in Iraq and Afghanistan and we’re good.
You have earned health care benefits with your career/job. You have made subscription/dues payments during the year to keep your health care turned on.
High level politicians from both major parties have been talking for decades about fixing/supporting veterans health care benefits.
Dec 21st update:
A letter from TRICARE came in the mail today. It is not a statement for my account, it is a general reminder that fees for 2025 are going up. The fee stated does not equal the fee I paid on 12/03/24.
Wondering now, why I was not charged for the entire fee when I called and asked to pay the 2025 annual fee on 12/03/24.
Not here to hassle about the fee, just wanted to pay the total once and for all on 12/03/24.
Easy versus Hard
The task: Pay in advance for a 12 month fee to keep TRICARE turned on.
Preferred method:
Mail me a statement/bill me on the web, and I will use my online banking account to pay as I do with a hundred other bills.
TRICARE does not send out a bill. TRICARE wants you to set up an automatic payroll allotment. No, thank you.
TRICARE has a customer portal page on the web. Tried to use this in the past. It is a tortuous process. Tricky to set up and update passwords over and again. They will treat you like a hacker, even if you have done nothing wrong. Super complicated.
Today:
TRICARE is moving from one contractor (this year) to a new contractor (next year). Called one-800 current contractor to pay today with credit card. Layers of questions to verify all possible means to ID customer. Finally was able to speak to a human after the robot was asking questions I do not know how to answer.
Human comes on and wants to know what I want to do.
Use credit card to pay annual fee for 2025. “OK, I will transfer you to billing.” All layers of questions to verify every possible means to ID customer are repeated again.
Second human asks:
What do you want to do? Use credit card to pay annual fee for 2025.
“You may not do that because a new contractor is taking over for next year.”
Human provides one-800 number for new contractor. Called that number. Phone tree advises to hang up and call 911 if this is a medical emergency. Press 3 if you are experiencing a mental health crisis (heading that way now).
All layers of questions to verify every possible means to ID customer are repeated again.
Human comes on:
What do you want to do? Use credit card to pay annual fee for 2025.
“OK, I will transfer you to billing.”
Extended phone holding time now takes place.
All layers of questions to verify every possible means to ID customer are repeated again.
Human number four this morning comes on:
What do you want to do? Use credit card to pay annual fee for 2025.
Looks like it all worked out. Fee is paid.
Many companies will forward an email receipt/payment confirmation when you complete business with them. This does not happen with TRICARE.
No money should change hands/go to TRICARE without a written or emailed invoice.
All people I spoke with on the phone today were making a positive effort to do a good job. No problem with any individual I dealt with.
What people have said in the past:
Can I rant about how much I hate tricare?
Last year:
Recruiting Crisis? DS Logon (DSL) Account Rants