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)

An Exceptional Family Member is defined as an authorized family member residing with the sponsor, who requires special medical or educational services based upon a diagnosed physical, emotional, developmental, or intellectual need.

The EFMP is a mandatory enrollment program that is based on public law and DoD mandates. It works with other military and civilian agencies to provide comprehensive and coordinated community support, educational, housing, personnel and medical services to families with special needs.

The EFMP is designed to provide assistance to active duty personnel with family member(s) who have special needs before, during, and after relocation due to Permanent Change of Station (PCS) orders.

EFMP conditions that will result in automatic DENIAL for assignment to Okinawa

Psychiatric Conditions

• Which have required 1 or more inpatient hospitalizations in past 10 years
• Psychiatric conditions in which there is a history of admission to or recommendation for Day Hospital" or "Partial Hospital" in past 10 years
• Psychiatric conditions where there is a history of admission to or recommendation for "Residential Treatment" in past 10 years
• Mental Health Conditions which require on-going individual/family therapy
• Aggressive, destructive and/or illegal behaviors
• Active or substantiated family advocacy case within the past 2 years
• Psychiatric conditions where the patient is on antipsychotic medications
• Substance abuse/dependence over past 10 years (multiple addictive substances are prevalent on Okinawa)
• Schizophrenia
• Bipolar Disorder
• Dementia
• Suicide attempt/gesture within past 2 years
• Dissociative disorder
• Eating disorder (specialist not available)
• Any family member or active duty member with a DSM diagnosis and/or requiring psychotropic medications who are not stable for at least one year prior to moving overseas

Medical Conditions

• Family members with tracheostomies and/or home ventilators have medical needs that cannot be met here
• Home oxygen (difficulty obtaining equipment, no oxygen concentrators, equipment not delivered)
• G-Tube/Feeding tube (difficulty obtaining equipment)
• Wheelchair/Walkers (difficulty obtaining parts, supplies and/or repair service, no housing modifications, no vehicle modifications)
• Family members with ventriculoperitoneal shunts for treatment/management of hydrocephalus have medical/surgical needs that cannot be met here
• Amputation of major limb within the past 2 years
• Dialysis
• Family members with asthma who have had 2 or more ICU admissions in past 2 years
• Medical conditions which require more than 2 times yearly follow-up by specialty services not available on Okinawa, Japan
• Medical conditions which have a high probability of resulting in ICU admissions, e.g., Brittle/Labile Type I Insulin-Dependent Diabetes (Insulin Dependent Diabetic Mellitus)
• Gastric By-Pass and related subsequent complications for morbid obesity in past 3 years

For more information, please contact Army’s EFMP Liaison at: DSN 315-652-4423 or Off Base 098-954-5555 then 652-4423.