JOINT BASE CHARLESTON, S.C. –
Naval Health Clinic Charleston launches its Medical Home Port program, April 18. Medical Home Port is a new, Navy-wide approach to patient care that places the patient in the center of a team of caregivers. This move to a new model of healthcare places emphasis on the importance of TRICARE beneficiaries keeping their Defense Enrollment Eligibility Reporting System information up to date.
"It is important that we be able to communicate with our patients at all times, but especially when changes are being made to the way we provide care to our patients," said NHCC Senior Nurse Executive and Director for Health Services, Navy Capt. Regina Mercado. "Also, if you recently experienced a life changing event, such as the birth or adoption of a child, recent divorce or marriage, household relocation, military retirement or death in your immediate family, your TRICARE benefit coverage could be affected and it is important to update DEERS for that reason."
You can register eligible new family members in DEERS at the nearest military personnel office or uniformed services identification card issuing office. To find an office near you, go to the Rapids Site Locator website, www.dmdc.osd.mil/rsl/owa/home.
"Medical Home Port underscores NHCC's commitment to helping our patients and their families live happier and healthier lives," said Captain Mercado. "Our ability to fulfill that commitment is challenged when we do not have accurate contact information for each patient in the DEERS system. It is important that our patients help us meet all of their needs by keeping this information current."
To register new family members in DEERS and receive an ID card, sponsors must complete a DD Form 1172 - Application for Uniformed Services Identification Card and DEERS Enrollment, and provide documentation such as a marriage or birth certificate. To update DEERS, sponsors may need to provide documentation, such as Social Security numbers, active duty separation papers, or Medicare cards. If the sponsor is not available, family members can update DEERS with a valid power of attorney.
Patients can verify and update DEERS in one of the following ways:
- To add or remove family members, visit a local military ID card-issuing facility. Search for an office near you by ZIP code, city, or state at www.dmdc.osd.mil/rsl.
- Call the Defense Manpower Data Center Support Office at 1-800-538-9552 to update your address and phone number.
- Fax address or phone number changes to 1-831-655-8317.
- Mail changes to the following address. You must include supporting documentation if you are updating a family member's status:
Defense Manpower Data Center
Support Office
400 Gigling Road
Seaside, CA 93955-6771
Update contact information online on the DEERS Web site at
https://www.dmdc.osd.mil/appj/address/ or on the Beneficiary Web Enrollment Web site at
https://www.dmdc.osd.mil/appj/bwe
Finally, if you try to obtain care and your DEERS record shows you as ineligible for TRICARE, contact the Defense Manpower Data Center Support Office at 1-800-538-9552 to verify eligibility.
For more information about loss of eligibility, visit
www.tricare.mil/certificate.