Military personnel: preliminary observations related to income, benefits, and employer support for reservists during mobilizations

Original publisher: [Washington, D.C.] : U.S. General Accounting Office, [2003] OCLC Number: (OCoLC)53057123 Subject: United States -- Armed Forces -- Reserves -- Mobilization. Excerpt: ... or through non-network physicians who will accept TRICARE reimbursement rates. Reservists who are activated for 30 days or less are entitled to receive medical care for injuries and illnesses incurred while on duty. Reservists who are placed on active duty orders for 31 days or more are automatically enrolled in TRICARE Prime and receive most care at a military treatment facility. Family members of reservists who are activated for 31 days or more may obtain coverage under TRICARE Prime, Standard, 14 or Extra. Family members who participate in Prime obtain care at either a military treatment facility or through a network provider. Under Standard or Extra, beneficiaries must use either a network provider or a non-network physician who will accept TRICARE rates. Upon release from active duty that extended for at least 30 days, reservists and their dependents are entitled to continue their TRICARE benefits for 60 days or 120 days, depending on the members ' cumulative active duty service time. Reservists and their dependents may also elect to purchase extended health care coverage for a period of at least 18, but no more than 36, months under the Continued Health Care Benefit Program. Despite the availability of DOD health care benefits with no associated premium, many reserve family members elect to maintain their civilian health care insurance during mobilizations. In September 2002, we reported that, according to DOD's 2000 survey, nearly 80 percent of reservists reported having health care coverage when they were not on active duty. Of reservists with civilian coverage, about 90 percent 15 maintained it during their mobilization. Reservists we interviewed often told us that they maintained this coverage to better ensure continuity of health benefits and care for their depen...