TRICARE Standard is a great option for military families who want more freedom when it comes to selecting their medical providers.

TRICARE Standard is a fee-for-service plan available worldwide to all eligible, non-active duty beneficiaries. They include:

· Active duty family members
· Family members of National Guard and Reserve members on active duty for more than 30 consecutive days
· Retired service members and their families
· Survivors
· Qualified former spouses
· Medal of Honor recipients

Unlike with TRICARE Extra and Prime, health plan options in which beneficiaries must select providers from within the TRICARE network and end up paying cheaper out-of-pocket costs, beneficiaries who use TRICARE Standard have the freedom to choose any TRICARE-authorized provider, including those outside of the network. It is an ideal plan for families who are already receiving care from a non-network provider and do not want to change providers.

Although beneficiaries will incur a higher cost share, TRICARE Standard is a preferable option for people who want to pick from a larger provider pool. Non-network participating providers accept TRICARE's allowable charge as payment in full for services rendered. But, non-network, non-participating providers do not accept the TRICARE allowable charge and can bill beneficiaries the difference between the allowable charge and the provider's billed charge. By law, beneficiaries are not held accountable for charges billed in excess of 15 percent above the TRICARE allowable charge.

Active duty service members, including activated National Guard and Reserve members, are not eligible for TRICARE Standard and must enroll in either TRICARE Prime or TRICARE Prime Remote. Beneficiaries who are eligible for TRICARE Standard and Prime cannot use both plans at the same time.

TRICARE Standard particularly helps beneficiaries who live in areas where TRICARE Prime is not available. Beneficiaries do not have to enroll in TRICARE Standard. They are automatically covered under the plan as long as their information stays up-to-date in the Defense Enrollment Eligibility Reporting System.

For more information on DEERS, visit www.tricare.mil/deers. Although beneficiaries do not need referrals to receive care under TRICARE Standard, some services may require prior authorization. Beneficiaries can receive care at a military treatment facility on a space-available basis only.

Families living abroad can qualify for the TRICARE Overseas Program Standard option. It works just like the TRICARE Standard program in the United States, except beneficiaries receive care from host nation providers. When seeing a host nation provider, beneficiaries may have to pay up front for services provided and file a claim with TRICARE for reimbursement afterwards.

To learn more about TRICARE Standard, go to www.tricare.mil/standard. To find a TRICARE network or non-network provider, visit www.tricare.mil/providerdirectory. For more information about the TOP Standard plan, visit www.tricare-overseas.com.