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Don't Delay -- Update DEERS Today
By Carole W. Butler
Did you know that you or a family member could lose medical benefits if you do not update your information on the Defense Eligibility Enrollment Reporting System (DEERS)?
DEERS stores medical benefit data for military personnel, retirees, and eligible family members. Service members and retirees are the sponsors for their family members' medical benefits and are responsible for the accuracy of the DEERS information. Correct, up-to-date DEERS information is essential, since this data define your medical benefits.
When an eligible family member receives a uniformed services identification and privilege card, or ID card, that information is deposited in DEERS. However, the sponsor must ensure the information is correct. If you marry or re-marry, move, have a new baby, have an old baby that becomes an adult, you must make sure that DEERS data reflect those changes, as well as any others. If you marry but neglect to register your spouse in DEERS, that person is not eligible for medical benefits until the sponsor updates the information. If you move but don't submit the current address of each family member to DEERS, your family may not receive essential messages regarding medical benefits, such as information about the mail-order pharmacy (and TRICARE For Life program).
If you forget to register a newborn in DEERS, after 365 days the child is not eligible for medical benefits until you complete the registration in DEERS. In addition, newborns can lose eligibility for TRICARE Prime medical coverage after 120 days. In this case, you must enroll the child in TRICARE Prime, as well as register the child in DEERS.
How to Update DEERS
Making changes to DEERS is easy to do. You can make changes through your military support office, the same office that assists you with your ID card. And, if you are making changes, it's a good idea to take documentation with you, such as a marriage certificate or birth certificate.
You can locate your nearest military support office at the RAPIDS Site Locator on the Web at http://www.dmdc.osd.mil/rsl/ (Call ahead for hours of operation, and for instructions if you are updating a record for someone who is housebound.)
To make address changes or to verify data online, log on to the Defense Manpower Data Center web site at
https://www.dmdc.osd.mil/swg/owa/webguard.login?appl=9012&rule=02
Changes could not be easier to make, so do not delay. Update DEERS today.
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Other ways to update your DEERS address:
Call the Defense Manpower Data Center Support Office (DSO) Telephone Center at 800-538-9552. The best time to call the Telephone Center is between 0900 - 1500 (Pacific Time) Wednesday through Friday to avoid delays.
Fax address changes to 831-655-8317.
Mail the change information to the DSO, ATTN: COA, 400 Gigling Road, Seaside, CA, 93955-6771.
For additional questions regarding your DEERS record, call the DSO Telephone Center at 800-538-9552. The hours of operation are 0600 - 1530 (Pacific Time) Monday - Friday (excluding federal holidays).
Sources:
Extracted from the Navy Lifelines web site at www.lifelines2000.org/services/articles/20011203/121614.asp?RootID=569 and the TRICARE web site at www.tricare.osd.mil/DEERSAddress/
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