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.

Exceptional Family Member Program (EFMP)

The Exceptional Family Member Program is a mandatory enrollment program for Active Duty Service members. Once a service member becomes aware that their family member has a special medical and/or educational need, enrollment into the EFMP becomes necessary. These special needs are documented through the EFMP enrollment paperwork. Enrollment ensures that the family member's documented needs are considered during the assignment process. The monitors/detailers consider those needs, along with career progression and the needs of the Marine Corps/Navy during this process.

Through the full participation and cooperation of military medical treatment facilities, command personnel, monitors/detailers, and individual service members, this program seeks to reduce family hardships and avoid costly federal expenses by matching the families' special needs with all locations which feature the appropriate services/specialists.

The process works as follows:

Marine Corps EFMP Enrollment Process:

The completed DD 2792 (Family Member Medical Summary) and DD 2792-1 (Special Education/Early Intervention Summary) forms are submitted to the Installation EFMP Office, or HQMC, using the contact information listed below.

1. Installation EFMP staff complete an administrative review of the documents prior to forwarding to HQMC.
2. Upon receipt, HQMC reviews the forms and documentation to determine medical and/or educational eligibility.
3. If eligible, HQMC enrolls the Marine's family member into the EFMP.
4. HQMC EFMP emails the enrollment eligibility letter to the Marine's government email account. If the Marine does not have a government email account, a letter will be mailed to the Marine's address listed on the Marine Corps Total Force System.

NOTE: Enrollees must update enrollment information every three years, or sooner, if there is a change in status for any family member enrolled in the EFMP.

Installation EFMP Office Number/ 808-257-7773 / Bldg. 219
Installation EFMP Office Fax: 808-257-1650
HQMC Email: HQMC.efmp@usmc.mil
HQMC Fax: 703-784-9821

Navy EFMP Enrollment Process:

1. The completed DD 2792 (Family Member Medical Summary) and DD 2792-1 (Special Education/Early Intervention Summary) forms and any applicable attachments are submitted to the EFMP Coordinator at the Military Treatment Facility (MTF), using the contact information listed below.
2. The EFMP Coordinator at the MTF conducts an administrative review of the forms.
3. Following the administrative review, the EFMP Coordinator forwards the application to the appropriate Central Screening Committee (CSC) via the Navy Family Accountability Assessment System (NFAAS), using the contact information listed below.
4. The CSC reviews the enrollment forms to determine medical and/or educational eligibility, recommends an assignment category, and forwards the application to the Navy Personnel Command (PERS-451).
5. The Navy's EFMP Manager at PERS-451 reports enrollment to the officer and enlisted detailers and annotates the sponsor's personnel records in the EFMP database.
6. For proof of enrollment, the Active Duty sponsor must wait 2 to 6 weeks after submitting the completed application; then, call the EFMP Coordinator at 808-433-9644.

NOTE: Enrollees must update enrollment information every three years, 12 months prior to negotiating orders, 12 months prior to a Permanent Change of Station (PCS), and/or with a change of status of a family member enrolled in the EFMP.

EFMP Coordinator

Tripler Army Medical Center, Room 1B, 101C
Office: 808-433-9644
Fax: 808-433-4330

The EFMP enrollment process is fairly simple when the family member is already certified by medical or educational specialists as needing special services.