R 271928Z FEB 12

ALCOAST 091/12
COMDTNOTE 6010
SUBJ: TRICARE DENTAL PROGRAM
1. EFFECTIVE 01 MAY 2012, METLIFE WILL BECOME THE DENTAL CARRIER FOR
THE TRICARE DENTAL PROGRAM (TDP). METLIFE WILL BEGIN PROVIDING DENTAL
COVERAGE TO OVER 2 MILLION FAMILY MEMBERS OF UNIFORMED SERVICE ACTIVE
DUTY PERSONNEL, MEMBERS OF THE SELECTED RESERVE AND INDIVIDUAL READY
RESERVE, THEIR ELIGIBLE FAMILY MEMBERS, AND SURVIVORS. PLEASE NOTE
THAT THE CHANGE TO METLIFE IS FOR THE TDP PROGRAM ONLY. UNITED
CONCORDIA (UCCI) WILL REMAIN THE CONTRACTOR FOR THE ACTIVE DUTY
DENTAL PROGRAM (ADDP).
2. CHANGES TO THE TDP WILL INCLUDE ENHANCED DENTAL COVERAGE AT A
LOWER PREMIUM SHARE THAN BEFORE.  METLIFE WILL DISTRIBUTE PROGRAM
INFORMATION, PROVIDER NETWORK DETAILS AND OUT OF POCKET SAVINGS
DETAILS BEGINNING IN MARCH 2012.  HIGHLIGHTS TO THE BENEFITS AND
ENHANCEMENTS ARE LISTED BELOW:
     A. COVERAGE OF POSTERIOR RESIN (TOOTH COLORED/WHITE) FILLINGS.
     B. INCREASE IN THE ANNUAL MAXIMUM FROM 1,200 DOLLARS TO 1,300
DOLLARS PER ENROLLEE.
     C. INCREASE IN THE LIFETIME ORTHODONTIC MAXIMUM FROM 1,500
DOLLARS TO 1,750 DOLLARS.
     D. ADDITIONAL 1,200 DOLLARS PER YEAR FOR SERVICES RELATED TO
DENTAL TREATMENT DUE TO AN ACCIDENT AS DEFINED IN THE TDP HANDBOOK.
     E. NO COST SHARING FOR SCALING AND ROOT PLANING (DEEP CLEANING)
FOR DIABETICS.
     F. COVERAGE OF AN ADDITIONAL THIRD CLEANING FOR WOMEN DURING
PREGNANCY (AS OPPOSED TO ONLY 2 PER YEAR).
     G. EXPANSION OF THE SURVIVOR BENEFITS TO SURVIVING SPOUSE AND
CHILDREN.
3.  IF BENEFICIARIES WOULD LIKE TO CHECK TO SEE IF THEIR CURRENT
DENTIST IS PART OF METLIFES NETWORK THEY CAN VISIT:
HTTP://WWW.METLIFE.COM/INDIVIDUAL/ CLICK "FIND A DENTIST" AT THE
UPPER RIGHT-HAND SIDE OF THE WEB PAGE AND SEARCH FOR A "DENTAL PPO"
PROVIDER.  IF THE DENTIST IS NOT A MEMBER, DENTISTS CAN APPLY TO
BECOME PART OF THIS NETWORK BY VISITING: HTTP://WWW.METDENTAL.COM
PLEASE NOTE, CLAIMS WILL CONTINUE TO BE PROCESSED AS THEY ARE NOW AND
CHANGES IN THE MAILING ADDRESS, CLAIMS PROCESSING, ETC. WILL BE
PROVIDED ALSO IN MARCH 2012.
4. ADDITIONAL INFORMATION ABOUT THE CONTRACT IS AVAILABLE AT:
HTTP://WWW.TRICARE.MIL/TDPCONTRACT AND BENEFIT UPDATES ARE AVAILABLE
AT: HTTP://WWW.TRICARE.MIL.
5. RADM MAURA K. DOLLYMORE, DIRECTOR OF HEALTH, SAFETY, AND
WORK-LIFE, SENDS.
6. INTERNET RELEASE AUTHORIZED.