The to-do list is never ending with a move. Ticking off the boxes is therapeutic and necessary. Once the boxes are out of most rooms and the folded cardboard boxes are in the recycling, the move feels real. Before you know it, the school is asking for updated physicals, and you realize that dental cleanings will be due soon, too. Getting everyone in the family established with new care providers is essential. With the boxes gone, it is now time to take care of the business of finding new providers, dentists, and maybe even the all-important hairstylist.
While it is super frustrating for most military families to repeat this process every few years, it is a reality which must be dealt with. Below are three tips to make this as painless and efficient as possible.
Figure Out How Your Network Works
In most circumstances, military families have access to the military healthcare insurance, Tricare. A PCS is considered a qualifying event to make changes to your plan. Carefully consider the options based on your new duty assignment to determine whether you prefer Tricare Prime (where you are assigned a primary care manager, or PCM either on or off post) or Tricare Select (where you have a choice to choose your providers within the network, all off post). Some areas offer the US Family Health Plan, an additional TRICARE Prime option available through networks of community-based, not-for-profit health care systems in six areas of the United States.
Once you know the options for your area, choose the option that works best for you. Do you have many provider options in your area, or do you have to drive an hour or so to see a provider or specialist? Once you have selected the TRICARE plan you want, it’s time for that PCS-honed skill of research.
Research Reputations and Reviews
There are several ways to get answers on the best pediatricians, most coveted specialists, and, more importantly, who to avoid. Sites like Healthgrades.com, Vitals.com, and Google Reviews offer patients and consumers an opportunity to leave detailed reviews of their experiences.
Another form of personalized research is asking on local groups for recommendations. In groups, use the search window to look up what others have recently recommended. Take personal stories with a grain of salt, as testimonials are personal and may not be reflective of everyone’s experience. Don’t forget about asking your neighbors or friends who may have been in the area for their recommendations. Consider cold calling practices to ask if they are within network.
Don’t Hesitate to Get a Second Opinion
It can be tempting to settle for the first practitioner you find, often because it takes so long to find someone who may be taking new patients, and accepts TRICARE. Sometimes the unpredictable schedule of military life with deployments, and short timelines at a new duty station all make it easy to stay with one provider. Whether it’s overly aggressive dental work suggested, a doctor who breezes in and out or blows off your concerns, or even just a general feeling you get that a provider doesn’t sit well with you, do not hesitate to keep researching and find someone else who will address your needs.
Written By: Heather Walsh with journal.gomillie.com
