Health Care/Special Needs

Whether this is your first move, or you’re a seasoned professional, moving can be a challenge. A little planning and preparation can help make your move as easy as possible. Try the following Defense Department resources to help you get organized:

• PCS & Military Moves on Military OneSource.mil provides comprehensive moving resources, information and services all in one simple location
• Plan My Move, an online tool that helps break down the moving process into clear, customizable steps, with checklists to help keep you organized and on track
• EFMP & Me, an online tool to help you plan for transition and continuity of support services for your family member(s) with special needs

Make sure your transition is as smooth as possible by visiting Moving on the TRICARE website. Talk to your medical case manager before you move. They can help you find a new doctor and other resources to avoid any interruptions in coverage.

On arrival at your new duty location, you or your sponsor can contact the Beneficiary Counseling and Assistance Coordinator at the military treatment facility. They can help if you have questions or need assistance with authorizations for TRICARE Extended Care Health Option, or ECHO, services.

All TRICARE regional offices and most military treatment facilities are staffed with beneficiary counseling and assistance coordinators who educate beneficiaries and help with TRICARE-related eligibility, enrollment, referrals/authorizations and claims processing questions. If you or your family has more complex needs, contact your TRICARE case manager.

TRICARE debt collection assistance officers are assigned to regional offices and military treatment facilities worldwide. DCAOs assist with confirmed debt collection due to unpaid TRICARE claims. Please note, the debt must be in collections or listed on your credit report.

Medicaid provides health coverage for eligible individuals and families with low incomes or with special needs. The department of social services or the department of medical assistance may administer the Medicaid program in your state. Supplemental Security Income is a cash assistance program intended to assist adults and children with special needs who have limited resources. Families must reapply after moving to a new state.

Medicaid waivers are state-specific Medicaid programs that provide funding for long-term care services to be provided in the community instead of in nursing homes or hospitals. There may be waitlists for waivers, however many states have agreed to the policy of allowing active-duty military families to enroll in their state of legal residence to get on the wait list.

Learn more about Benefits for Families With Special Needs, or review the Government Assistance Programs course on MilLife Learning.

The TRICARE Extended Care Health Option provides supplemental services to:

• Family members of active-duty service personnel (this includes activated National Guard and reserve service personnel)
• Family members who are covered under the Transitional Assistance Management Program
• Children or spouses of former service members who are victims of abuse and qualify for the Transitional Compensation Program
• Family members of deceased active-duty sponsors while they are considered transitional survivors.

The qualifying family member’s disability must be entered properly in the Defense Eligibility Enrollment Reporting System to have access to TRICARE ECHO services.

For qualifying medical and/or educational special needs, TRICARE ECHO offers integrated services and supplies beyond those offered by your TRICARE program option (such as TRICARE Prime and TRICARE Select). See this TRICARE ECHO factsheet for more information, or listen to this TRICARE ECHO webinar on Military OneSource.

Military hospitals and clinics are found at military bases and posts around the world. They are also referred to as military treatment facilities. Before you move, find out your new military treatment facility and contact them for local information.

Medical case management involves a team of health care professionals who help you and your family find solutions to complex health problems. It is important to let your medical case manager know if you are moving. They can help you connect with a medical case manager at your new location. Learn more about TRICARE case management services.

If your family member has special transportation needs for the move, such as oxygen or a special bed or wheelchair, contact your TRICARE medical case manager. They can advise you on equipment and transportation.

You can also contact your current installation’s household goods/transportation office (outbound) for information on special procedures for transporting medical equipment.

Medical and special education needs for the exceptional family member are considered prior to approval of command sponsorship or an accompanied tour to Korea.  Each Service Member should consult with their local EFMP office on completing the processes as soon as the Assignment Action is received.  The local process should be very similar to the process below for families currently located in Korea.

The Army Community Service Exceptional Family Member Program (EFMP) Coordinator provides local information, education, and support to families with exceptional family members in conjunction with Brian Allgood Army Community Hospital. The coordinator networks with the other military treatment facilities for Out of Area processing or to assist families' transitions.

Step by Step Family Member Screening Process for Army Service Members Currently In Korea

Step 1:

1. Service member (SM) completes blocks 1-7 on DA Form 5888.
   1. If SM is applying for an OCONUS to OCONUS move, FTE, AIP, Inter-Theatre Transfer or in-country Command Sponsorship, ALL DEERS eligible Family members must be listed in block 7 and screened (even if not accompanying the service member).
   2. If SM is applying for an addition to orders (newborns and other newly acquired Family members such as adoptions and marriages), then the new Family Members are listed.
2. SM also completes DA Form 7246 listing all family members on the DA 5888.

Step 2:

Unit S1 or Personnel Representative must verify SM family members in Block 8 (to include a signature) prior to submitting documents to the medical screening authority.

Step 3:

All family members listed on the DA 5888 will require a physical exam with their health provider at the Military Treatment Facility for completion of Blocks 9 and 10 of the DA 5888.  The completed DA Form 7246 is required for the physician's review at the appointment (only one form per family is required).

Step 4:

If applicable, when a family member is warranted for a medical or educational enrollment by the Medical Treatment Facility (MTF), the military sponsor and the attending medical and/or educational specialist will complete the appropriate enrollment forms.  The DD Form 2792 for medical and/or a DD Form 2792-1 for educational needs. The completed forms are forwarded to the controlling regional Medical Command EFMP team for review and input into the Enterprise-EFMP database. If warranted for medical or educational need registration and request should be going through Enterprise-EFMP database. EFMP Database is located at https://efmp.army.mil/EnterpriseEfmp/ Exceptional Family Member (EFM) enrollment must be updated at least every three years or as the EFMs condition changes, whichever occurs first; the educational EFMP data updated yearly. EFMP profile information is highly sensitive and only accessible by authorized personnel who have a "need to know."

The Service Member or S-1/MPD should then e-mail the completed DA 5888 and DA 7246 to the USAMEDDAC-KOREA (MEDDAC-K) EFMP Office at USARMY.HUMPHREYS.MEDCOM-KOR.MBX.EFMP@health.mil for records review and completion of the DA 5888

Newborns born at the BAACS/121st CSH in Korea do not require an additional physical examination.  Newborns born at a Host Nation Facility will need to schedule a well-child exam at the local military treatment facility.

If Family Members have been receiving civilian medical care, service members need to include a full physical examination report (completed within the past year) and the completed DA 7246, to the EFMP Office at USARMY.HUMPHREYS.MEDCOM-KOR.MBX.EFMP@health.mil for processing the DA 5888.

Step 5:

The MEDDAC-K EFMP Office will finalize the DA 5888 by signing Block 11 and affixing the appropriate Army EFMP Medical Stamp in the upper right-hand corner of the form.  The DA 7246 remains on file at the EFMP attached to a copy of the completed DA 5888. The completed DA 5888 will be returned to the appropriate S1 or MPD for additional and final processing.

Overseas family member screenings are necessary for all OCONUS moves, including AK and HI.