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TRICARE Formerly Known as CHAMPUS

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TRICARE formerly known as CHAMPUS (Civilian Health and Medical Program of the Uniformed Services) is a federal healthcare program implemented in 1967 for active duty military members and their dependent family members. TRICARE is also for retirees of the military and their dependent family members and for survivors of soldiers who died while serving. U.S. uniform services include: Army, Navy, Air force, Marines, Coast Guard, Public Health Service, and National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA) (Rowell, J. A. (1997). TRICARE was created to expand health care access, ensure quality of care, control health care costs, and improve medical readiness for soldiers (Rowell, J. A. (1997). There are four regions of TRICARE: North, West, and South in the United States and one for those overseas. There are three options to TRICARE: TRICARE Prime is a managed care (Fee for Service) option guaranteeing priority access to care at military treatment facilities (ie: base health facilities and the VA) with costly fees if care is sought outside the Prime network. TRICARE Prime is also the most comprehensive of the healthcare benefits of the three with the lowest cost (Rowell, J. A. (1997). Those who are eligible for this option are active-duty military personnel, family to the sponsor who are active-duty, and retirees and their family all whom are under age 65 (Rowell, J. A. (1997). TRICARE Extra allows users of TRICARE Standard save 5 percent while going to any network doctor,

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